Equinox
by Please.Insert.Name
Summary: Harry finds himself in the middle of an age long war between the Light and Dark. Turned into a vampire by Voldemort, will he lose his humanity on the way? Or find something he never knew he was looking for with the man that he once despised? HP/TR
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey this is just a plot bunny that popped into my head and I'm not really sure where it will take me (NOTE: I do have a plan but they tend to become useless as I make up more ideas). I'd like to hear your thoughts on it though and if your interested in a story like this.**

**This is based right after the Half-Blood Prince and there are no horcruxes.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that is the property of JK Rowling and I am clearly not her.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes.**

**Please Review!**

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Equinox: the time when the light and dark hours are equal in length.  
**

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He rode quickly towards the Castle of the Night, the sound of his horses hooves beating against the road being the only indication that he was still alive. The darkness swarmed him, coating him and making him feel that he was the only one left in this desolate world.

The moon flirted with the clouds, casting grey shadows that were almost a welcoming party. He smirked, the news that he was about to give his Lord would increase his standing in the Midnight Realm and so maybe one day his welcoming party would actually be corporeal. The black iron gates loomed ahead of him but, instead of slowing down like one would normally do, he sped up and passed through them as if they were made of mist.

Coming to a stop he dismounted and let one of the Lessers take his trusty steed. Climbing up the steps to the entrance of the castle he saw a figure standing in the entry hall.

"Your late Hyperion, Lord Alderan expected you sooner" came an aged voice.

"My apologises Nairne, I came across some unexpected news on my travels but I dare say the contents shall more than appease Lord Alderan" replied Hyperion.

"You should pray to Gaia that it is sufficient, he shall not content with mere drivel."

"Well then, enough talk, take me to him."

The old man turned and hobbled down the stone corridor, the candle light flickered making it seem eerie however Hyperion didn't give it a second thought and followed. The castle was almost Medieval, built by many slaves long before the times of the ancients with large slabs of grey stone. Hyperion knew that in the wars of past times it had been the safe place for the royals and noblemen of that time. The floors were covered with thick carpets, muffling footsteps and cushioning weary feet and tapestries lined the walls, showing great battles of bygone years. Finally they made it to their Lord's greeting room. Opening the heavy oak doors Hyperion was rushing inside. Glancing around he saw the room had the same feel as the corridor: old and incredibly strong. The floor was carpeted in red and at the furthest end of the hall were steps leading to a stone platform were Alderan's throne sat. Kneeling in front of the steps Hyperion waited for his Lord to enter. He never had to wait long and soon the familiar swish of his cloak announced his arrival. Looking up he saw Alderan had already sat down. He could see the man's aura was primrose mingled with light yellow. Sighing in relief he stood up and approached the throne. Alderan was in a good mood so perhaps Nairne had just been teasing him.

"What news do you bring me dear Hyperion?" asked Alderan cheerfully.

"Well my Lord, a childe has been born, just like you said. His name is Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter of Godric's Hollow" replied Hyperion eagerly.

"Now, now calm down, what else is there?"

"It appears the Lord of the Light is planning on using him against us. He has a prophecy that dictates the childe shall kill the Dark Lord."

"What is the prophecy?"

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies" recited Hyperion.

At this Alderan's nostrils flared and his aura turned black, exuding out of him like tendrils and instilling a cold atmosphere on the room. Suddenly he stood up and began pacing back and forth in front of his throne.

"What shall we do sire?" asked Hyperion tentatively.

"If it has been prophesied then there is not much we can do. Fate has an uncanny ability to get her own way. However there are two aspects to this prophecy. There are ways to prevent death and defeat prophecies, Ignotus, Cadmus and Antioch proved as much" mused Alderan, seemingly forgetting that Hyperion was still in the room.

"What would you like me to do sire?" ventured Hyperion again.

"Summon Tom for me, then go to Miranda and relay what you have just told me, she shall know what to do."

Seeing he was dismissed Hyperion hurried out of the room leaving Alderan alone.

The vampyre sighed heavily. Fate was a fickle woman but if he could shape this right, mould the players then they would win, order would be restored to the Midnight Realm once more. It all depended on this childe. Such a childe should not bear a burden so big but since when had that ever prevented it? Sitting back down in his chair he waited for Tom to arrive, the time had come at last sooner than he had thought but nonetheless he was hopeful for the first time in millennium.


	2. Chapter 1: Dreams

_"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."_  
_ Dom Helder Camara_

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Harry Potter opened his eyes and blearily looked at the clock next to his bed. Flopping back on his pillows he closed his eyes, every night since the start of summer he had been waking up at four in the morning. Pressing his hands to his closed lids he tried to coax his mind to sleep. Turning on his side in an effort to get more comfy on the lumpy mattress, he vaguely remembered the dream he had had.

_He had been standing in a chamber, it looked slightly Medieval but comfortable at the same time. The carpet was wine red and there was a brown couch next to a wide window. It appeared it was night time judging by the inky blackness that filled the panes of glass. Looking at his reflection he gasped slightly. Instead of his normal short messy hair it was about shoulder length and tied at the base of his neck. His face was pale and his eyes were a vivid green, almost as if they were illuminated. Opening his mouth he saw his canines had elongated forming fangs. Normally he would be bothered by this and yet to him now it seemed perfectly normal. Hearing a slight chuckling his eyes were drawn to a figure sitting on a squashy brown armchair next to a roaring fire. He looked familiar somehow, his hair was black and tied back like Harry's, he wore a white long sleeved shirt with green waistcoat complete with black trousers tucked into knee high boots. His face seemed oddly familiar with almost chiselled features and pale skin with eyes that were a startling shade of blue. The man gestured for him to sit down in the armchair opposite._

_"Nice for you to join me Harry" he said as Harry sat down._

_"Who are you?" asked Harry, a bit disturbed by the familiarity the man was showing._

_"You know me by many names but Tom Riddle shall do" replied Tom, smiling._

_"Wait! Your Snake-Face?" blurted out Harry, despite his surprise he was oddly calm._

_"Things are not always as they appear, I would have thought you would know that by now" chided Tom._

_"Why am I here?" asked Harry._

_"You are here because there are a few things I need to explain to you" said Tom gently._

_"Why? How do I know this isn't a trap to kill me?" asked Harry, although he was calm it never meant he had let his guard down._

_"You don't," said Tom simply, "however over the next few days before your birthday you will experience some changes. These changes will eventually drive you to come to me so to put it quite simply you will come no matter what."_

_"What if I refuse?"_

_"You die."_

_"What changes will occur?" asked Harry, seeing no way out of it._

_"You are a vampyre Harry. However you are not a normal vampire. You are descended from the ancient clans that set up the Castle of the Night in the Midnight Realm. Over the next few days you will come into your heritage, your magical maturity will activate the dormant gene. A few days before this you will exhibit the first few changes as your magic is slowly released from its binds."_

_"Wait a minute, how am I a vampyre? Neither of my parents were vampyres."  
_

_"It goes down the female line through the X chromosome but is only activated if it is joined with an X or Y chromosome with creature blood in it. The creature blood helps activate the gene, like a lock and key. Unlike common vampires it is through genetics not just through biting alone. A combination like this is rare however as muggle blood is introduced into the gene pool it dilutes the creature blood and so less are activated."_

_"So what is the Midnight Realm?"_

_"The Midnight Realm is the kingdom of Dark creatures. It is the safe haven if you like. The ruler of this kingdom is Lord Alderan, one of the first ancients. Many more dark creatures are coming here however as the Light discriminates against us, terminating us. Due to their propaganda less wizards practice Dark magic and more and more breed with muggles. This is weakening us tremendously and is defying the contract created at the first meeting of the clans."_

_"What contract?"_

_"It was said that no side should discriminate on the other, that we should co-exist peacefully. All branches of magic can be used for evil, it is the intent that matters. They have breached this however making the contract moot. We are currently gathering an army but it is problematic as since they have been hiding their abilities all their life and now we are trying to resurface them and train them. It is a long and tedious process but we are getting there."_

_"You said my magic had been bound, why?"_

_"I was trying to keep you under the radar, if I had not bound your magic then because of the sheer volume of magic in your blood the gene would have activated early and have blown your cover. However on the night I did this Dumbledore intervened. It was he not I who killed your parents. He knows what you are and felt that if you were sent to your magic hating relatives they would destroy your self esteem along with your power to do the powerful magic required to activate the gene."_

_"Then how do I have my scar and it hurts when you are near?"_

_"Your scar is the physical manifestation that your magic is bound, everyone else thinks it is because my so called killing curse rebounded," sneered Tom, "As for hurting when I am near that is because I am the one that bound your magic and it is struggling to be released."_

_"Wait how would my self esteem affect my magic?" asked Harry, a frown forming on his face, he felt his fangs scratch his lips._

_"If you doubt you can do a spell then you will most certainly be unable to perform it. Without conviction all spells are meaningless words."_

_"But I thought you hated me, I mean you tried to kill me on more than one occasion. Why then should I believe you! What happened to you the night my parents died? People said you just disappeared after the killing curse rebounded but if you never tried to kill me then something else must have happened."_

_"Ah yes, to answer your second question I just went into the Midnight Realm for a few years, rumours of my death circled and I was in dire need of a vacation, waging a war is not all fun and games you know," smirked Tom, "My 'disappearance' also fitted in perfectly with Alderan's plan and so it made sense to combine the two. As for your first question I was merely testing you. If one is not in a life threatening situation then how can one know ones limits?"_

_"But wait if you never died then how was your resurrection possible?"  
_

_"Only Lucius and Bellatrix knew of my plans. Since Bella was in Azkaban then it was Lucius who helped me set up the ritual and make it convincing. In other words it was all an act. I had thought before that with my 'disappearance' the Light might not try and take over more ground and cease the propaganda however, when that proved to be false Alderan thought that I should return and what better way to do it than by kidnapping the supposed saviour?"_

_Harry chuckled, he had to admit the man had a flair for dramatics and, as reluctant as he was to admit it, he supposed that a lot of it did make sense in a way._

_"There is one thing I don't understand, why have you gone on with the Voldemort persona all these years?"_

_"I was chosen by Alderan to lead the armies of the Dark to try and prevent the spread of the Light. It was however in vain and only agravated the Light more, turning them against the Dark Magiks as a whole," Tom paused and stared Harry in the eye, "I'm afraid I have to leave now however I do hope to see you soon, it would be a pity to waste seventeen years worth of work."_

_"Wait one more question, where are we?"_

_"We are in your mind, this is merely a projection of a chamber in the Castle of the Night. And now I really must be going."_

_Harry watched as his world dissolved in front of him, Tom's eyes the last thing to disappear._

Harry scoffed, remembering the dream. That was all it was... A dream. There was no way that Dumbledore would do that to him, and Voldemort was most certainly an evil, manipulative bastard. Moving onto his back he gazed up at the ceiling, imagining the celestial dance going on in the sky above him. The dream however marred this attempt at distraction and dogged his thoughts no matter how hard he tried. It had seemed more real than normal, and he had to admit that his coolness over the matter had been alien to him. He had actually had a civilised conversation with Voldemort! Shaking his head he turned back onto his side and tried to go back to sleep.

"No, no it was just a dream" he told himself. Although not even that could squash the small voice in the back of his head that told it to be true.

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**A/N: Thank you for the feedback. I hope this chapter explains everything clearly and if you have any questions don't hesitate to message or review. More of the concepts in this chapter are explored further in later ones, this is just the bare minimum.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that belongs to JK Rowling and I am most definately not her.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes that were present in this chapter.**

**I made a mistake in the last chapter, this is after HBP but there are no horcruxes.  
**

**Please Review!**

**Should I continue this?**


	3. Chapter 2: Changing

_ "Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become"  
~unknown  
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Harry awoke to the sun beaming in through the thin curtains. Pulling himself out of bed he stumbled and clutched his dresser to steady himself. Letting go he looked at the wood and saw tiny grooves where his fingers had just been. Brushing it off, the dresser was getting old he told himself, he opened it and pulled out a pair of worn black jeans and faded green t-shirt. It was absolutely sweltering and so he needn't bother with a jumper. Opening on of the drawers he fished around for a pair of socks and pulled them on. Running his fingers through his hair he sighed slightly at the day ahead before wandering downstairs.

Entering the kitchen he saw the man-whale that was his Uncle sitting at the kitchen table spooning bacon into his mouth whilst trying to read the paper. Dudley aka man-whale junior was currently doing what he does best, putting Harry off his breakfast. Honestly you could train a blind, deaf and dumb monkey to have better manners! Aunt Petunia had her head out the window listening to the latest spat Number Three and his wife were having.

Harry's entrance virtually went unnoticed and as he scooped a little bit of bacon on his plate Vernon suddenly let out a loud yell.

"See! I knew it, get what's coming to him he did!"

"What is it darling?" asked Petunia shutting the window, apparently this fight was a short one, at times it was not unheard of to see Petunia hanging out the window for over thirty minutes.

"That American, whats his name," Vernon looked back at the paper, "Alfred Myers who shot dead that couple in London is being sent back to America, they think he might face the death penalty. Pity they couldn't do it over here, I mean the jails are full as it is. Worse decision they ever made abolishing…

Harry let Vernon drone on and on about how the death penalty would remove the dregs of society and mean that they would have to devote less taxes to keeping them alive. All the while the Boy-Who-Lived was stabbing at his bacon, there was something off about it. Every time he took a bit it would taste like ash in his mouth. Shaking his head he gave up on eating and pushed his plate away from him. Unfortunately this attracted the attention of the rooms other occupants.

"What your finished already! You've barely eaten any of it! I work hard five days a week to get food on our table which we give you out of the goodness of our hearts and you only take a few bites!" bellowed Vernon, spittle forming a clear and viscous line down his chin.

"I feel sick" murmered Harry, bile rising in his throat. Trying to swallow it down it came back with a vengeance and, standing up he bolted from the table. Running up the stairs he barely made it to the bathroom before he emptied the contents of his stomach into the hand basin. Running the tap he washed away the putrid mess. Once it was gone he put the plug in the drain and filled the basin up with cool water. Taking his glasses of he submerged his face and watched as a few bubbles of air escaped from his closed lips. It was strange, he could see under the water as well as above even without his glasses.

The need for air was becoming apparent and pulling his face out of the liquid he watched in the mirror as water droplets ran down his face before dripping off his chin and back into the water.

Grabbing a towel of the railing behind the door he dried his face and looked at his reflection again. His face seemed paler, his eyes almost glowing in comparison to the pallid skin.

_"A few weeks before this you will exhibit the first few changes as your magic is slowly released from its binds."_

Harry gulped as he remembered the dream and as he opened his mouth he almost expected to see the elongated canines that his dream self had possessed. Upon seeing that they were still stubby he breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he was just imagining it.

"Boy!" came the harsh voice of his Uncle from downstairs.

Groaning slightly he unlocked the door and slowly went downstairs. Going back into the kitchen he saw that none of them had moved from their previous positions. Harry however was not upset by this, he was used to his relatives not caring about him in the slightest. Sitting back down Harry noticed with relief that his plate had been taken away, the smell was one of the factors that had sent him over the edge.

"Because of your lack of respect and gratitude you are to weed the front garden and mow the lawn. After that you will sprinkle the flowers with water before washing all the windows. You will be permitted a small meal for lunch before you tidy up the back garden and clean the house. If this is not done by night time then there will be grave consequences. Is that understood?" said Vernon calmly still reading the paper.

"Yes Uncle Vernon" replied Harry, standing up and heading out back to the shed to get the supplies. It would be a miracle if he managed to do that all those chores in one day.

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By lunch time Harry was nearly finished the front garden and so strolled into the house to get his meal. Sitting on the table was a small piece of French bread and a hunk of cheese. Deciding to take it outside he sat under the apple tree in the front garden, safely hidden from the glare of the sun. The day truly was scorching and Harry had felt so tired as the sun's rays had beaten down on his back. He never understood why he was so tired, he had had worse nights and had still been able to work faster than this. His lunch finished he left the plate under the tree and went to drag the hose round from the back. Seeing the water gush out of the pipe and splatter on the dehydrated flowers, he felt envious of how cool they would be feeling compared to him. Looking around to make sure there was no prying eyes he held his head under the stream, gasping as the cool water drenched his raven hair. Withdrawing from the water he shook his head, in a manner not unlike Sirius when he was in his animagus form, to dry it somewhat before turning off the hose and taking it round back.

Surveying the back garden he sighed in relief. There really wasn't much to do except maybe prune the rose bushes, he had mowed the lawn yesterday and watered the plants.

Cutting off all the dead vegetation and those that looked infected Harry, even in his weakened state, was finished quickly. Shuffling back inside he stood for a moment in the cool kitchen, Petunia was having an afternoon nap whilst Vernon worked and Dudley went out with his gang. It was times like this that Harry relished, it felt almost like he had the house to himself and could therefore do what he wanted. Uncle Vernon's threat however resounded in his head at this thought which quickly made him less complacent.

Pulling the vacuum cleaner out of the closet in the hall, he plugged it into the socket and turned it on. The loud sound booming out of it hurt his ears and he clutched his head in silent agony. Fighting through the pain he performed his task quickly and half heartedly. That done he straightened up the couch cushions before putting the vacuum cleaner away. Moving into the kitchen he filled up a bucket with water and added a little bleach. Taking the mop out of the corner he began washing the linoleum floor. Making wide arcs with mop the acrid smell of the bleach was registered by his senses. Wrinkling his nose he finished up and cleaned the kitchen counters.

When every surface was sparkling he flopped onto the couch and lay there for a minute just listening to the sound of his own breathing. He wasn't as tired as he was earlier but still the fatigue was there. Rubbing his eyes roughly with his calloused hands he sighed.

What was wrong with him?

_"These changes will eventually drive you to come to me so to put it quite simply you will come no matter what"_

His dream came back in vivid detail. He could almost see Tom's eyes scrutinising him, hear his voice taunting him with the residual memories.

_'No'_ he mentally screamed,_ 'this cannot be happening, he is lying he has to be!'_

_'But what if he isn't, I could die'_ came a small voice at the back of his mind.

_'I'd rather be dead than side with him, he killed my parents'_ snarled the more dominant voice.

_'No he never, you have to admit his explanation did make a twisted sort of sense'_

The more dominant voice was silent at that. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get around the fact that Tom's explanation did make sense. It explained why he was mediocre at the most basic magics when Hermione could cast 'wingardium leviosa' the first time. It explained how even though Voldemort had many chances to kill him he never did. And as much as he hated to admit it, it explained how out of sorts he had been today.

Groaning he closed his eyes and covered his face in his hands. This couldn't be happening! He was so caught up in his despair that he never heard the front door open.

"Boy what are you doing lazing around! The cheek of it, we ask you to do one thing and you don't even do that! Upstairs now, you'll get no dinner tonight for your insolence!" Vernon's face had turned purple and a vein was throbbing on his temple. Feeling it wise to get out of the danger zone Harry stood up and went up to his room.

Closing the door he leaned against it for a moment. He was quite happy he was missing dinner, if his body reacted to it as badly as the bacon then it would have been the belt for sure. Vernon never really hurt him now, unless he was really angry or Harry had repeatedly done something that he deemed wrong.

Throwing himself on his bed he heard the ancient springs creak as his body made contact. Curling up he felt the fatigue come back with a vengeance and slowly surrendered to the oblivion of sleep.

_"Ah Harry your back, I never thought it would be this soon" came Tom's voice out of the blackness. Slowly the room began to materialise around him and it was only when it was fully there he realised it was the same one as before. Licking his lips he noticed that his fangs were back and that he once again was pale and had shoulder length hair. Moving forward he sat in the armchair offered and leaned back._

_"What is wrong with you?" asked Tom suddenly, his face flooding with concern._

_"Nothing, I'm fine" replied Harry automatically._

_"Don't lie to me you stupid childe, what happened today? Have you began to get symptoms?" snapped Tom urgently._

_"Er well I made a dent in my wardrobe by clutching it this morning, I've been tired all day, loud noises hurt my ears…" listed Harry, struggling to remember._

_"Its too quick, your magic is more powerful than I had anticipated" said Tom, his face never once breaking the composed mask but his voice conveying the urgency._

_"What's going on?" asked Harry, confused by the elder man's ramblings._

_"I need to come and get you tonight, pack what you can and be quick about it. I should arrive around midnight and I'll meet you in your room."_

_"Wait how can you get in my room? I thought the wards prevented that" said Harry._

_"I have your blood in my veins and so it automatically allows me access. I have to get going, I'll see you soon" replied Tom quickly before Harry's vision faded to black._

Opening his eyes Harry looked blearily at the clock. The bright numbers shone back at him through the darkness telling him that he had an hour to get ready. This dream thing was confusing, it was strange that the dream only seemed to last a few minutes and yet in reality he had been sleeping for hours. Shaking his head Harry dispelled these thoughts before pulling a his trunk out from underneath his bed. It was a good thing the Dursley's were afraid that Sirius would kill them they mistreated his godson. It was a funny to think that his family still protected him from beyond the grave.

Opening his wardrobe he pulled out his clothes and threw them haphazardly into his trunk. That done he dug out his wand and various other nick-naks from under the loose floorboard. Going back to his trunk he folded the clothes and put them on top of his school books and equipment. Looking at the clock he saw that that had killed thirty minutes. It was strange, before he had been arguing to himself that this could be a trap and that it was all a lie. Now however he was getting ready to meet his potential murderer. Although Tom was right, he was changing and well Tom seemed to know what was happening and actually told him instead of Dumbledore who kept his secrets so close to his chest it was a surprise that he could breathe. He was still unsure about this but something told him that this was the right choice and well it was a little late to have second thoughts as the man was already coming for him.

Lying back on his bed he sighed. Why was his life always so complicated, why did everything happen to him! It seemed that every since he was born Fate had been playing with him and dictating his actions, he supposed that this was just the next level and the protective gloves were off. Hearing a sharp rap at his window he started before scrambling to his feet.

For better or for worse he couldn't back out now. Tom had arrived.

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_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! _

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes that were present in this chapter._

**This is the last of the pre-written chapters and I really need you to review so I can know if its worth writing more.**


	4. Chapter 3: Awakening

_"Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a trauma that prepares you for a future of radical transformation."_  
_~Cherrie Moraga_

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Walking over to the window Harry was filled with apprehension. Unlatching the lock he sculpted his features to make it seem like he exuded tranquillity. Stepping back from the window he saw a black mist seep into his room before solidifying.

Tom Riddle appeared no older than twenty. The only indication that he had lived more than his outward appearance suggested was an oldness of the eyes. It was once said that the eyes were windows to the soul but Harry could see nothing as he gazed into the turbulent blue pools. He looked like he had in the 'dream' elegant and yet nonchalant, as if nothing could bother him. He surveyed Harry impassively, his ancient eyes roaming up and down his body searching for some abnormality. His itinery done he strode over to the teenager and peered in his eyes. Harry wondered idly if Tom could see his soul.

"Hmm it appears your at the third stage of the transformation, this is good as it means I'm not too late" murmered Tom, his sweet smelling breath wafting at Harry's nose.

"How many stages are there?" asked Harry, when Tom stepped back.

"There are five stages. If you had reached the fifth before I had arrived then you would have died" said Tom emotionlessly.

"Why?" asked Harry, his curiosity burning.

"Because we need to perform a ritual in the Midnight Realm so your body does not reject the change. If it is not done then you continue feeling weaker and weaker until your organs shut down and you die" replied Tom.

"How are we going to get there?" asked Harry, panic rising in his chest like the bubble in a champagne bottle once it has been shook.

Before answering Tom pulled his wand out of a holder strapped to his thigh. Tapping Harry's luggage and Hedwig's cage Harry watched as they shrunk to the size of a matchbox. Picking them up Tom put them in one of his trouser pockets and motioned Harry to approach him.

Doing as he was directed Harry stood next to the man and Tom held out his arm. Grabbing on Harry was filled with the uncomfortable feeling that he was disintegrating into small particles before reforming at the gates of an ancient looking castle. The walls were crumbling slightly and the area had a sense of darkness to it, drawing Harry in with its power.

"This is the Castle of the Night, now I need you to cut your palm and place it on the gate" said Tom, his face remaining blank as he transfigured a rock into an ornate knife before handing it to Harry.

Slightly nervous Harry drew the cool blade along his skin, hissing when crimson drops of his life blood leaked out the wound, dribbling down his fingers. Approaching the gate he pressed his hand to the iron bars and winced as a shot of heat permeated into his hand at the contact. The heat however soon cooled and he withdrew his hand. Gazing at it he noticed the cut was now seared shut.

"Walk through the gate" came Tom's voice, floating along through the night.

Stepping forward Harry gasped as he felt the gate turn into mist around him. It was almost like walking through a ghost except it left tingles down your spine, presumably the wards allowing him access. Seeing Tom materialise next to him he followed the older man as he let him into a cobbled courtyard and up rough stone steps into the Entrance Hall. The castle, though old on the outside, had an almost modern feel with dashes of Medevial thrown in to preserve its heritage. The carpets were thick and wine red, muffling the sound of passers by. Only a few people hovered in the hall and Harry gave a start when he recognised one.

"Bella" greeted Tom warmly, approaching the mad looking woman next to the statue of what appeared to be Apollo.

"Tom, I'm glad your back, I had a vision and was worried for your safety" said Bellatrix, her words soft and miles away from the mocking baby one she had used in the Department of Mysteries.

"Bella this is Harry, I know you have already met but I thought it would be good to get to know each other again now that certain facts have come to light. Bella, Harry, is the Priestess of Apollo, the god of prophecy amongst other things. She is also part banshee."

"Nice to meet you" muttered Harry, holding out his hand.

"And you young one" said Bella, her warm hand clasped Harry's before withdrawing.

"Now I'm sorry Bella but we have to go and see Alderan, he is already nearing the end of the third stage" said Tom apologetically, the first emotion he had injected into his voice that night.

"Of course dear, I shall see you later" said Bella.

Walking further on they turned into a deserted corridor, the candles flickering in their brackets when they walked past them. It was eerie but Harry felt oddly like he belonged here. Smiling slightly he realised that he had fallen behind and ran to catch up.

Approaching large wooden doors Tom opened one and gestured for Harry to enter. Harry's eyes widened as he saw the room. It was simple, grey stone leading to steps that ascended to a platform that housed a chair. There were red curtains billowing slightly, hiding a large window opposite the door and all around the room were paintings of mythical scenes that left the viewer baffled as well as humble. A figure standing on the platform drew his attention. He was young, maybe in his early twenties and yet through his eyes Harry saw hundreds of years of wisdom. He was dressed in black trousers that clung to him like liquid darkness. His white shirt had flared sleeves and was tucked into the trousers. Over that he wore a red waistcoat that shined in the light being emitted by the candles. He stepped down from the platform, his boots clicking on the stone.

Harry watched as Tom strode forward and shook the man's hand. Seeing both men turn to him Harry walked forward and stood in front of them.

"Harry Potter meet Lord Alderan" said Tom quietly.

"It's a pleasure sir" said Harry, holding out his hand.

"It is good to meet you at last childe, please call me Alderan. Tom please leave us and report back in around an hour" said Alderan, his voice was warm contrasting magnificently with Tom's cold one.

"Of course Alderan" said Tom before walking out and closing the door softly behind him.

"Now childe I am sure that you have a lot of questions but I'm afraid that we are rather short of time."

"Yes Tom did mention something about the stages, apparently I'm in stage three" said Harry softly.

"No you have just enteres stage four which means I need to act now. Do you consent to being a vampyre?" asked Alderan calmly despite the time limit.

"Well if its either that or death I'll choose life thanks" said Harry before he could help himself.

"Alright then come with me" with that Alderan climbed up the steps and went through a door behind the chair that Harry had not previously noticed.

The room beyond was like a typical lounge. It had two red couches facing each other with a coffee table in between. A large bookcase lay in the corner filled with tomes that looked as if they belonged in a museum.

"Please take a seat Harry" said Alderan pointing to the couches. Sitting on the one facing that door he saw Alderan move through to another room and come back with a knife that looked like Tom's. Harry flinched as the elder came towards him with the knife which drew a chuckle from the vampyre.

"I'm not going to hurt you childe" he said gently, sitting down next to Harry.

Harry watched in perverse fascination as Alderan raised the blade and slashed his palm like Harry had done earlier.

"In order to complete the transformation you must ingest the blood of a vampyre" said Alderan holding out his bleeding hand to Harry.

A part of him screamed that it ws wrong but and even bigger part couldn't help his mouth watering as he watched Alderan's life blood seep from the wound. Grabbing the hand he brought it up to his mouth before sucking greedily. The blood tasted tangy, almost metallic as he swallowed however before he could appreciate it fully his chest was wracked with pain. Screaming silently his curled up on himself, the blood forgotten. It felt as if he was being torn apart by wild animals and digging his nails into the couch he tried to take his mind off the pain only for it to come back sevenfold.

Alderan's face loomed in front of him concern filling his brown eyes and he heard the vampyre whisper "I'm sorry" before the darkness claimed him.

* * *

Harry opened his eyes and everything came sharply into focus. Blinking he watched in amazement as the sun streamed through a gap in the black curtains, illuminating the dust that danced in the warm rays. Sitting up he noticed he was in a bed and still dressed in his ill-fitting clothes, the mattress was soft and springy unlike his lumpy one at home. The walls were a cream colour making it seem light in the room without the aid of the sun's full rays. Stretching he got out of bed and saw there was a couch in the corner next to a bookcase. Sitting on top of the couch were clothes and a note:

_Thought you could use these, I'll drop by soon._

_Tom_

Opening the wardrobe next to his bed he saw a mirror on the inside door. His eyes were unusually bright, standing out next to his wan complexion. His hair seemed more tamed and now brushed his ears instead of sticking up all over the place. Opening his mouth he saw his teeth looked pearly white but there were no fangs. Maybe the fangs grew when he was about to feed? Glancing at the clock on the wall he saw it was seven o'clock at night. How long had he been unconscious? Refusing to think about this he tried to distract himself. Moving back over to the piles of clothes he pulled them on before looking at his reflection once more. The shirt was emerald and complimented his eyes, his black trousers were tight fitting and good for manoeuvrability. There had also been boots underneath the clothes and he tucked the trousers into them, mirroring Tom's look. Maybe vampyres had a thing for old fashioned outfits.

Hearing a soft knock he walked over to the door and turned the brass handle. Opening it it revealed Tom, looking as impassive as ever. Harry stood back as Tom strode into his room, his stride was confident and he moved gracefully like a lion stalking its prey. He sat down on the couch, smoothing the creases the movement made in his shirt. Closing the door Harry approached the couch, hovering and slightly unsure what to do. Tom radiated coldness and it was easy to see how he was suited to running the Dark's cause in the wizarding world. Shivering, he saw Tom appraise slightly him before motioning for Harry to sit down next to him.

"Now Harry I am sure you have questions. Alderan asked me to stop by as he was concerned about your reaction to the change" said Tom in a clipped voice, it was clear he was annoyed at being asked to comfort a childe.

"If you would rather be somewhere else then feel free" said Harry irritably.

"Alderan asked me to come here and I have vowed to serve him. Anyway I find myself vaguely curious about what powers you develop. There has never been a vampyre born with so much magic in their core and it would be interesting to see how your body reacts to the transformation" said Tom, his voice still calm and controlled but Harry could hear the fervent undertones. It appeared Tom was obsessed with knowledge like Dumbledore had said. It comforted Harry that the aged wizard hadn't lied to him on all accounts.

"Well what changes have occurred in my anatomy?" asked Harry.

"Before you feed you will form fangs, you can process food with a potion invented by the Potion Mistress Miranda Harcourt and that will help you keep your cover when you go back to school. Your skin is paler because your melanin levels are slightly lower as we are creatures of the night. Due to this you are more susceptible to the sunlight as you had begun to notice. You'll experience a slight fatigue during the daylight hours but apart from that nothing else, normal vampires cannot go out in daytime at all so we are lucky in this way. Your eyesight will improve and speed shall increase because of the increase of oxygen in your blood as your body absorbed the nutrients from the blood you ingest, however this will vary depending how much you drink. You can Phase in which you dissolve and reassemble in a different location, like the wizards apparition but you can get through wards. However each vampyre is different and form their own traits depending on the talents before they transformed so there will be more for you but those are the standard ones" said Tom in a bored voice.

"So I'll be able to survive at Hogwarts" said Harry hopefully, he couldn't stand the thought of not seeing Ron and Hermione again.

"Yes you will be our eyes and ears in the Fortress of the Light" replied Tom indifferently.

"Fortress of the Light?"

"Hogwarts is a stronghold in which Light magic is taught and houses many of the powerful Light wizards, Dumbledore and Minerva being the main examples. Miranda is working on a way to hide the more prominent affects of your vampyrism to shield you from Dumbledore and due to him taking a keen interest in you, mainly due to that blasted prophecy, you shall be able to keep an eye on him more closely than any of the others."

"Oh okay," said Harry, uncomfortable discussing spying on his old mentor as regardless of everything he could see Dumbledore truly thought he was doing the right thing, "What extra traits did you receive?"

"I became an incredibly skilled legillimens and occlumens" answered Tom.

"What can I expect?"

"We do not know, they will develop over time, anyway we better be going as it is nearly dinner time" said Tom curtly, standing up and straightening his clothes. Harry swore he had OCD.

Harry gulped as Tom strode over to the door and opened it, flashing his eyes back to Harry still sitting motionless on the couch.

"Your going to have to drink it sometime" sighed Tom, clutching his head in exasperation.

"I never thought it would be this soon"

"You are eating with Alderan tonight to discuss your stay with us, we are already late and so I suggest you come now. If you do not want to do it you don't have to, just for the love of all that is holy show up! I highly doubt that you won't want it however" said Tom his mouth curling into a smirk before walking out the door.

Standing up Harry tried to control the churning in his stomach as he remembered his reaction to Alderan's blood and followed swiftly behind.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, that belongs to JK Rowling and I am most definately not her.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes in this chapter.**

**Please Review, I would love to hear your opinions so far :)**


	5. Chapter 4: Bloodlust

_"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential"_  
_~Winston Churchill_

* * *

Harry followed after Tom, his new clothing felt comfortable on his skin, the material brushing together making a soothing sound that he trained all his concentration on. Freaking out was certainly not an option. The elder vampire did not turn around once as they made their way through the labyrinth. The candles were flaring and their flickering flames glowed bright in the dark corridors, making his shadow extend outwards, brushing with Tom's as they walked together. Glancing down at the shadows he saw that his was almost caressing Tom's, the blackened extremities twining together to form a large expanse of darkness. Shivering slightly Harry saw that Tom was looking at him, one perfect eyebrow arched, transforming his face into a mask of impatience emphasised by the rough gesture into the door to his right. Scowling slightly Harry walked in and was greeted with a merry sight. There was a large table, the frame made of what looked like white gold and the table top made of crystal, sparkling in the light being emitted from the chandelier above. Ivory chairs were tucked under the clear surface, the cushions covered in white silk. The walls were a soft burgundy colour accentuating the warmth of the room and the floor was made of cherry wood, its glossy surface reflecting the activity in the chamber. A fire crackled happily in the hearth, the flames licking the logs trying to strip the bark off their surface, the warmth this task was emitting successfully banished the cold from the room. Sitting at the head of the table was Alderan, a warm smile gracing his features as he surveyed him. Inching his chair out he stood up and walked over to them and clasped Tom's hand.

"Tom would you mind coming by my chambers later?" asked Alderan, however Harry could hear the order behind the kindly uttered words.

"Of course, I must attend to my students now" said Tom, bowing gracefully and exiting.

After the door was closed Alderan gestured that he and Harry should go over to the table. Sitting down Alderan handed Harry a goblet, the fawn coloured contents smoking slightly, wafting the scent into his nostrils. It smelled slightly of mango with an underlying scent of tangerine.

"What is this?" asked Harry once Alderan had sat down.

"It is to help you ingest food, you will need one every month. I thought if we perhaps ate it would set you more at ease" answered Alderan softly. Grateful for the vampyre's generosity Harry watched as a door to the left of the fireplace opened. In entered a man, his skin was pallid like Harry's but he seemed to cower in Alderan's presence, his posture displayed subservience. He carried a tray laden with dishes, sniffing the air Harry felt a hunger pang at the delicious smells. The man placed a plate in front of him, it consisted of a bloodied steak with a variety of vegetables. The man then placed a bottle in front of him and uncorked it, it smelt sweet and a little metallic. With a start Harry realised it was blood. Procuring a wine glass the man poured out a generous measure of the crimson liquid, it sloshed against the sides of the glass before settling. Doing the same for Alderan the man stood back a little as if awaiting orders.

"That will be all Sanguini" said Alderan dismissively, looking at the vampire again he saw that he was the one at Slughorn's party from the year before.

"Now Harry I know that you will be a little reserved about drinking blood however you really do need it. If you are uncomfortable drinking human blood then animal shall suffice but in my opinion tastes vile," at this Alderan wrinkled his nose, "If you don't drink then you will die as your body needs the excess nutrients to keep your body functioning, I know that this is a lot to tell you at once but Tom has told me you are uncommonly stubborn."

Warily Harry lifted up the glass and sniffed. It truly smelt delicious and its scent seemed to sing to him, luring him like the sirens lured sailors. Hopefully though this wouldn't end in a shipwreck. Taking a sip tentatively Harry felt the flavour lather his tongue and inflame his senses. Swallowing he was left with an inexplicable need for more. Gulping the rest he grabbed the bottle and brought it to his lips. Drinking down the contents quickly he looked around hungrily, his thirst not sated. It felt like his throat was bone dry and only the blood would quench it.

Suddenly he was aware that he was standing up and he stilled for a moment. Listening intently he heard a heartbeat somewhere down the hall. Drawn towards it he ran to the door, grasping the door handle he pulled at it. When it wouldn't give he tried again. Growling he turned back to Alderan. The elder vampyre's face was filled with concern.

"Harry you cannot leave" said Alderan calmly, contrasting with his expression.

Stalking forward Harry growled again and made to lunge at him. Suddenly he felt a pair of hands clamp around his arms and snarling he turned to face his attacker. Tom appeared unruffled but his eyes contained cold fury shimmering in the blue irises.

"Let me go" growled Harry, his voice was filled with acid.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that Harry" said Tom coolly, his composure not as concrete as Alderan's. Twisting Harry tried to release himself from Tom's hold in vain. The elder vampyre's hands were like pincers and if Harry was still human his bones would have been shattered. Baring his teeth Harry tried to snap at Tom but before he could get a good hit his jaw was seized and his head turned quickly. Alderan's face loomed into view, he held up a phial and tipped it into Harry's open mouth. It tasted slightly sweet and Alderan rubbed his throat to coax him to swallow. As the contents went down his oesophagus Harry's vision quickly faded to black.

* * *

Harry opened his eyes, the first thing he registered was a pain searing through his forehead. Groaning slightly he rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. It was the same room he had woken up in earlier with the exception of Tom sitting on the couch and watching him with worry flashing in his eyes.

Sitting up Harry wished he hadn't as his world spun, mixing into a whirl of colours and confusing his already muddled brain. Groaning again he saw Tom approach him and peer into his eyes, Harry watched as a little of the concern left the elder vampyre's expression. Sighing in relief he sank back into his pillows as Tom took a seat on the edge of his bed.

"What happened?" asked Harry groggily.

"Your bloodlust was stronger than we had anticipated, normally it takes a few weeks for it to fully develop but in your case your magic is accelerating the process. I had warned Alderan of this but he was sure that it would be manageable" Tom's face evidently showed how stupid he thought this plan was and explained the fury that Harry had seen shining in them.

"So I'm a freak in this world too" muttered Harry bitterly.

"No you are the one thing that can possibly win this war. Alderan told me that our last oracle before Bellatrix foretold that you would lead us to victory. The fact that your magic is so strong is a great sign so no Harry you are not a freak in this world" said Tom, if Harry never thought the man was incapable of it he would have swore Tom was acting like he cared about him.

"Why do prophecies always rule my life?" asked Harry, irritated at how weak his voice was.

"You are special Harry, Fate has chosen you for many tasks and for that you should be thankful. You have the power to change which would never have been possible for mere mortals. I know it seems like a huge burden to bear but I have promised Fate and Alderan that I will assist you in this endeavour."

"What can you do?" asked Harry morosely.

"I can train you to develop your powers and channel your energy instead of letting it control you. I have a few other students already and tomorrow will be your first training session. We need you to get ready for returning to Hogwarts and this will be a gruelling task but one I am sure you are up to. I have watched you grow over the years and when you met me in the graveyard I knew you were well on your way to being the man that was prophesised to lead our struggle. Now anyway it is almost four in the morning and I suggest you get some sleep, the sun will be up soon and you are not ready to endure a full day. I shall send a pupil of mine, Lysander Chevalier, to collect you" said Tom standing up and straightening his clothes, from the state if them it appeared if he had been sitting on the couch for a long time. Smiling at him Tom then turned and walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Lying back down Harry yawned, even though he had slept all morning he felt drained and groggy. Hoping that it was just an after affect of the potion Harry snuggled into the covers and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

A sharp knock on the door brought him back to consciousness. Stretching he felt his muscles groan before throwing the covers off and standing up. He was still a little drained but felt a lot better than he had when he talked with Tom, now that he was alert he was sure he had imagined the caring tone Tom had used when explaining everything to him.

Stumbling over to the door he turned the brass handle and opened it revealing a man around about his age. He was around six foot and had his shoulder length honey blond hair tied back to the nape of his neck reminding Harry of Tom. His clothes also mirrored what Harry wore to dinner - he was now clad in pyjamas - except his shirt was brown complimenting his chocolate coloured eyes. Lysander's skin was tanned, showing his French heritage but lighter than it had been before the transformation if his melanin levels were affected like Tom had said. Through the fabric of his clothes you could tell he was toned, not overly muscled but strong enough to be able to up a good fight.

"I think Tom would blow his top off if you came to training like that" remarked Lysander, his eyebrows raised as he took in Harry's appearance.

"Give me a minute" said Harry closing the door in the vampyre's face.

Looking around the room he saw a pile of clothes on the couch, the same trousers and boots but this time his shirt was red and reminded him of the blood he had drank last night. Taking a deep breath to stave off the nausea he pulled of the pyjamas, folding them neatly and placing them on the couch. Putting on the clothes quickly he walked briskly to the door to see the vampyre pouting.

"That wasn't very nice you know" his voice ringing with mock hurt.

"I'm sure you'll survive" replied Harry dryly.

"If I don't I will haunt you" threatened Lysander, his warning somewhat ruined by the grin plastered on his face.

"So when did you arrive?" asked Harry as they walked down the corridor - Harry never had a clue where they were so there was no point in asking where they were going.

"I came around a year ago, took my parents by surprise" replied Lysander.

"Where did you come from?"

"France originally but we moved to England when I was ten, I still went to Beauxbatton's however as according to my mother it offered a broader education."

"Oh we had some of your year over for the Tri-Wizard tournament."

"Yeah I was amongst them but I doubt you'll have noticed."

"Yeah I was a bit focused on not dying" laughed Harry, Lysander was easy to talk to and he found that he that liking the blond vampyre was easier than he thought it would have been.

"I did not envy you one bit, Tom really loves his tests" groaned Lysander.

"What did you have to do?" asked Harry his curiosity roused.

"Oh he locked me in a room with five werewolves and made me fight them, it was only after I found out they weren't real."

"I'm going to die" said Harry, emphasising each word.

"No you won't Tom's a good teacher, you'll be fine" reassured Lysander when they stopped in front of a non-descript door. Gesturing for him to go in Harry's stomach was suddenly feeling a little queasy despite the reassurances.

What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

**A/N: Hey thank you for the feedback! I'm making this Harry/Voldemort now as I can see it benefiting the plot more. Sorry KhairulJBlack I really did try to pair Harry with an OC but it never really worked, however I will pair Lysander with a canon character so I hope that suffices :)  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, it is the property of JK Rowling and I am evidently not her!**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

**Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 5: Training

_"An individual step in character training is to put responsibility on the individual."_  
_~Robert Baden-Powell_

* * *

Behind the door lay an arena, the floor was soft, as if cushioning charms had been placed on the stone tiles. The walls were grey made of old bricks and upon inspection Harry discovered that these too had the cushioning charms. There were no windows and the chamber was lit up with candles floating close to the ceiling casting shadows in the corners making the room appear smaller than it actually was. Tom was standing in the centre of the room. His stance was feline as he surveyed his prey, looking at the victim Harry realised with a shock that it was Blaise Zabini. Just as he recognised him, Blaise ran forward, almost in slow motion, his legs pumping and his muscles rippling as he took flight. He rushed through the air, almost as if he was swimming before tackling Tom. Tom however, instead of moving, grabbed Blaise's outstretched hand and twisted. The resounding crack was heard throughout the chamber and Harry winced as he saw Blaise's arm hang limply at his side. Feeling eyes on him he turned to see Lysander studying his face, almost waiting for a shocked reaction out of him. Schooling his features he approached Tom, standing to the side a bit as he talked to Blaise.

"Now you need to be quicker, anyone who knows your abilities can easily anticipate that attack, you need to use it as a surprise not a full on assault, now go and see Miranda and I'll see you the same time tomorrow" said Tom sharply. Seeing he was dismissed Blaise nodded at Harry as he walked past them, his eyes were tight as if he was trying to hide his pain but Harry could still hear his ragged breathing.

"Ah Harry, thank you Lysander go and attend to Blaise, I'm sure you know how to help him regain his pride" said Tom, smirking at Lysander's blush.

Now alone with Tom, Harry felt wary. He had just watched him break one of his schoolmates arms and he was going to train him? Fate really must be pissed off with him.

"We need to warm up first so you don't pull your muscles" said Tom indifferently.

Standing opposite each other Tom bent his right leg and pressed all his weight on it whilst stretching his left leg out and sliding his left arm down it until it reached his foot. Copying him Harry found that he couldn't get past his ankle and seeing Tom chuckle he looked up.

"We're going to have to work on your flexibility but doing exercises like these once a day should help that."

Glaring at him, Harry straightened himself up. For the next the exercise Tom held Harry up against one of the walls, lifting one leg at a time so that it stretched as far as it could - right now Harry could stretch his legs about forty-five degrees away from his head. That done they spun their arms like wind mills, loosening the muscles in their shoulders. When Tom had deemed that he had warmed up enough they went back into the middle of the arena.

"Now Harry, we are going to start with some simple moves and then I want you to fight me so I can gauge your strengths more accurately in order to write up a program" said Tom, his tone suggesting he had used this speech a lot in the past.

"Repeat after me."

Tom's feet were spread apart and in line with his shoulders offering more balance. Lifting up one knee he flicked out his foot in a kick. The move was sharp and precise and would, if the force behind it was great, severely wound an unprepared enemy. Mirroring the move Harry was thankful that his Quidditch training had given him excellent balance.

"You need to keep your back straight" said Tom, roughly seizing Harry's shoulders and pulled them back. Kicking again Harry saw Tom appraise him before his mentor stood opposite him.

"Kick me" ordered Tom.

A little apprehensive, images of Blaise's accident in his mind, he tried to strike Tom but as quick as a snake Tom's arm lowered, effectively blocking Harry's kick from reaching his stomach.

"Good I could feel you put a lot of momentum behind that, now how about this one?"

Tom resumed his previous stance, raising his leg he turned his hips making the result kick a side one. If Harry had been close enough it would have hit him in the head. Tom however never lost his balance and flicked his leg back before placing his foot back on the ground. Trying it Harry found that as soon as he flicked his leg out he would lose his balance and wobble before ultimately losing his fight with gravity and end up on the floor. After the fifth time this happened he was incredibly thankful that the floor was charmed. Once again Tom stood before him and ordered him to kick him. Before his foot made contact Tom raised his arm, presenting his forearm to the attacking limb. Bouncing off Tom's arm Harry stumbled but for the first time remained upright.

"The last kick we'll try today is definitely the hardest, once you get the fundamentals down however you will be able to do it easily."

Standing at the other side of the room Tom stood with one foot in front of the other before running down the room. When he was close to Harry he jumped, kicking off with his right foot before flicking out his left on in a manner most similar to the first kick. Landing in a crouch Tom up righted himself and walked over to Harry. Taking that as his cue Harry walked to where Tom had started. Running along the length of the room was strange, it was like running over a trampoline. Hitting the mark he pushed off the ground and flicked out his foot, exhilarated with his success he forgot to land in a crouch and twisted his ankle. Grimacing in pain Tom swooped down on him, pulling his wand out of the holster trapped on his thigh. Waving it over his ankle Tom muttered "episkey" and immediately Harry felt relief spread through him as the pain was removed. Offering him his hand Harry took it and was pulled into a standing position.

"I'm going to teach you simple blocks now" said Tom before launching into it.

Harry watched as Tom raised his arm in the same way he had blocked Harry's roundhouse kick. Moving fluidly his arm snaked down, crossing from his collarbone and down in front of his groin protecting it from low kicks. Pulling his arm back up he positioned it in front of his torso as though to deflect a punch to the chest.

Once Tom was satisfied with Harry's progress in these he motioned for him to stop. Harry watched as Tom paced in front of him and was taken aback when the man lunged at him, coiling his arm back before propelling it forward, his hand in a fist. Reacting on instinct Harry blocked and Tom's arm swung away from him. Using the moment of weakness to his advantage he did a roundhouse kick and would have made contact if Tom hadn't ducked and rolled, flicking his leg out to sweep his feet out from under him. Taken by surprise Harry fell clumsily to the floor and moments after his fall he felt Tom's wand press against his throat. Seconds after registering this he was pulled to his feet and they began again, each time the spar lasted longer and Harry felt he had a better grasp of the man's fighting style.

Taking a break for a few moments, Harry slide down the wall, shivering as the cool stone brushed against his skin. Landing heavily he tucked his knees under his chin before resting his face on them. Tom truly was a good teacher. The way he taught it was either learn this or die, he was right, thinking ones life was on the line was a great motivation and he felt he could grasp many of the concepts taught to him better than he could have hoped.

Feeling Tom slide down next to him he turned his attention to the dark haired man. Tom, despite the exertion, was still pale, he had removed his waistcoat and his white shirt was open at the neck displaying some of his pallid chest. His spidery fingers combed through his hair as he pressed the back of his head to the wall showing off his delectable neck. Harry watched in fascination as he swallowed, his fingers tingled wanting to touch the bobbing Adam's apple. Rolling his eyes at such absurd thoughts Harry was startled as there was a knock on the door. He was still trying to get used to his enhanced hearing and as Lysander's face popped around the door.

"Come in" called Tom coldly.

Harry watched as Lysander moved towards them. Standing in front of Tom, Lysander grinned at his mentor. Looking at Tom's expression the man just looked as cold as ever but perhaps once he got to know him more he could read him better. Right now he could only guess what was going on behind the cold, arrogant mask.

"What is it Lysander?" asked Tom, his tone seemingly bored.

"Alderan wants Harry to meet everyone basically he doesn't want you holding him prisoner in this room all day" said Lysander, apparently unperturbed by Tom's frosty demeanour.

"Very well you may leave but I expect you back here at tomorrow at three and you are to practice the kicks and blocks tonight" said Tom to Harry.

Standing up he left Tom there before following Lysander out. The corridor seemed homey compared to the chilly arena. The candles seemed to wink merrily at him as they walked past. Passing through a wall they came into a room that was filled with an assortment of furniture. Two large, black couches faced each other with a table in between. Armchairs lined the walls ready to be dragged out at the first sign of need. However it appeared that this was rarely rendered necessary as only a few teenagers were perched on the couches and one on an armchair. The carpet was a cream colour contrasting with the furniture and next to the couches was a large fire, tendrils of flame snaking in the hearth and making the room feel cosy.

Taking a place on one of the couches Lysander went over to the other and sat next to Blaise, wrapping and arm around the tanned boy's shoulders. Seeing Blaise lean into the touch Harry surmised that they were together and immediately Tom's remark earlier took on a new meaning. Trying not to blush he looked at the other occupants. Sitting next to him was Hannah Abbott and on her right was Zacharias Smith. Next to Lysander and Blaise was a surly looking boy, his face was pale and his dark curly hair seemed to spill over his forehead and brushed his eyes. Sitting on an armchair at the head of the coffee table was Luna.

"I think you already know Luna, Hannah and Zach, this however is Sergei Abramovich" said Lysander.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" said Harry, holding out his hand.

"Likewise" said Sergei, his Russian accent permeating his words.

"I never knew you were a vampyre" said Harry to Hannah. He had always seen her as a nice girl from Hufflepuff, he couldn't picture her as a lethal Dark creature.

"Oh I'm not, I'm part banshee and Zach is part veela. Bellatrix is training me to become the next oracle" answered Hannah with pride.

"I wondered when you would join us Harry" interjected Luna dreamily.

"So you knew?"

"Oh yes, I'm part elf, my great great Grandmother was the an advisor of the Elvin council. I can see auras and yours was always tinged with darkness."

"Er that's good to know" said Harry awkwardly.

"Don't worry only those with Elvin blood can sense auras, no one has ever been able to explain why and the only other one here that can sense them is Hyperion" said Lysander. Harry almost sighed in relief, Dumbledore wouldn't know he had changed. For a moment he felt a touch of shame pierce his heart as he thought about lying to his old mentor, he knew that it was in his best interest but the man had always been a grandfatherly figure to him. However he couldn't ignore the fact that the man had ruined his life and so hardening his heart he came back to the present.

"Urgh Miranda managed to patch my arm up but it still hurts like hell" groaned Blaise, flexing his left hand.

"I'm so glad I have Bella, she lets me use dummies to learn how to fight before I go against her" said Hannah.

"Hyperion lets me do what I want, I too use dummies but the wrackspurts help me with the magical side of things."

"Wait they actually exist?" asked Harry, he wished he could tell Hermione this she would probably have a fit.

"Of course they do" replied Luna a little offended.

"Sorry its just a little hard to comprehend, what are they exactly?"

"The wrackspurts are the spirits of the ancient Elvin mages that guide younglings to hone their abilities. They help me with my magical abilities and Hyperion trains me to fight."

"How long have you been coming here?"

"I've came every summer since I was five, my mother told me of my heritage before she died and used to accompany me here to train me. When she passed away Hyperion took over my training."

"I'm sorry" said Harry, unsure what to say at such a confession.

"Its quite alright, it was a long time ago and she is with my ancestors now."

The fire faded as they talked and Harry found that he quite liked Sergei - once you got away from his rough demeanour he was actually quite pleasant - and Hannah as always was lovely. Luna mainly stared into space (_'probably talking with the wrackspurts'_ thought Harry still trying to wrap his head around the concept) and Lysander and Blaise kept themselves to themselves. Zach was still as arrogant as ever but Harry found him to be witty and he could easily see a friendship forming between them. It was startling to see how many misconceptions he had had before his change and how his perceptions had been shaped by Dumbledore.

The group's biggest bond seemed to be their shared abnormalities, according to Lysander they were the only teenagers in the complex as the rest were either in the Realm of the Light or destroyed after their abilities were manifested. Certainly in areas were education was lacking there were many purges of those with creature blood in fear that they were demons and the propaganda the Light was spreading certainly never helped. Slowly Harry found his heart was being poisoned against his old mentor but couldn't really bring himself to care anymore. How could people such as these be evil and deserve to die because of idiotic views!

Clenching his fingers to form a fist Harry vowed he would have his revenge, even though he knew Dumbledore in his own twisted way meant well it did not condone his actions.

* * *

"Tom you are doing well with him, I can feel his ideals change slowly and soon he shall be ready" said Alderan pacing in front of his throne.

"Why thank you Alderan" replied Tom, bowing slightly.

"I need him to be ready for the start of term and I entrust you with this task, should you fail our kingdom shall fall."

"I understand" said Tom, turning around and leaving the ancient vampyre alone.

A small part of him felt bad for uprooting all the beliefs the boy had held in one go, however as much as it pained him it was necessary. It had been foretold and so it shall come to pass one way or another. Failure was not an option, he hadn't helped build this empire to see it crumble under the Light. Steeling his resolve he retired to his chambers, his heart heavy but his mind sharp, already planning the next moves of his favourite pieces.

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**A/N: Thanks for the feedback and I hate to sound ungrateful but I would appreciate a few more reviews. I don't know how many people are actually enjoying this and if I'm just wasting my time I would like to know.  
**

**The training scene was what I remembered from my karate lessons, if I am mistaken in any of it please tell me as it has been a few years since I have performed the moves myself when actually sparring.**

**Have a good Christmas!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**


	7. Chapter 6: Talents

_"I believe that life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are well equipped for it if only we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them to blossom."  
~Les Brown_

* * *

Harry walked down the corridor, his steps never faltering as he made his way through the castle. He had been here for two weeks now and in that time he had learnt so much more than he ever had at Hogwarts. He knew however that it was probably because he was actually applying himself to the task at hand instead of breezing along on Hermione's notes. Tom was an excellent teacher like Lysander had said, he had improved vastly in the two weeks and now Tom felt confident that he could begin applying magic to his fighting. He was however nervous of this and, as he turned a corner, he shuddered to think what he would do. Harry's magical core was the strongest one that the vampyre Lord had ever seen and Alderan had been around for over a millennia so it was fair to say that that was abnormal. Entering the chamber Harry shoved these thoughts away quickly in fear of his mentor seeing them.

Tom was sitting cross legged in the middle of the chamber, his hands were resting on his knees and his eyes were shut. A candle lay in front of him, its flame flickering as it was disturbed by the magic rippling around the room. Stepping closer Harry saw purple, ghost-like tendrils snake out from Tom and zoom towards him. Harry gasped as Tom's magic hit him, running over him in waves. His magic was like nothing Harry had ever felt, it seemed to sing to his own magic, calling out to it and Harry watched in fascination as misty green tendrils swirled around him, mingling with Tom's magic. As the two magic's combined Harry moaned as he was blanketed in them. The formed a shield around him and the pleasure was so intense that Harry felt his knees beginning to buckle. Tom's magic was electrifying, coating his skin and sending jolts of pleasure through his hyper sensitive nerves. Then suddenly it stopped and Harry was left with a sense of loss as the tendrils retracted back to their owners. Tom's eyes snapped open and took in the flushed form of his student, panting and shaking before him.

"Enjoy that did you?" he asked, his voice ringing with amusement as he looked at the bulge in the front of Harry's trousers. Harry was unable to respond and willed away his erection, focusing on anything but Tom's piercing stare. Slowly his panting ceased and his skin returned to its normal pale colour.

"What was that?" he asked, his embarrassment evident as he blushed again.

"I was meditating, focusing my magic and controlling it. One cannot fight properly if one cannot control ones magic" somehow Tom was turning this into part of the lesson and, with a shock, Harry realised that it actually was.

"You planned that!" he said, his surprise evident in his voice but there was also an inexplicable sense of disappointment. Ignoring this he walked over to Tom, assuming the cross-legged position opposite his mentor.

"In battle excess magic is excreted by spells and since vampyres senses are heightened this can distracted younglings leading them to be at a disadvantage, and therefore more likely killed. Alderan has asked that I teach you how to repel stray magic, of course you shouldn't experience it at the concentration you just did however," added Tom with a smirk, "While we practice spells the magic concentration in this room shall increase, when we spar I want you to wrap your own magic around you like a shield, it should protect you from the excess. Now however concentrate on your magic, breath deeply and signal your thoughts to your magical core. I want you to try and control your magic instead of letting it flow where it pleases. Once you feel that you can control it we can begin to train it."

Closing his eyes, Harry dove through his thoughts. His surroundings were completely black but every now and again he would see the white outline of a door that lead to another part of his consciousness. Swimming further into the blackness he saw a small orb of light appear in the distance and made his way towards it. It was green and pulsated slightly, small waves rippling across the bright emerald surface. Now and again the waves would carry with them red and gold streaks, cutting through the emerald. However it never detracted from the image, it made it seem beautiful in a tainted kind of way. It was as though it were a fallen angel, marred by the scars that adorned its body. Swimming further he touched the green surface and was sucked into the emerald expanse, flowing with the colours as if he too were part of the spectrum.

_'Your getting distracted'_ echoed Tom's voice, looking around Harry saw with a start that Tom was beside him. He was surrounded by a purple glow, covering his skin but sometimes dotted with gold and ice blue. He was utterly breathtaking as the colours swarmed in front of his face, illuminating him and making him appear more unearthly than usual.

_'What are you doing here?'_ asked Harry, his voice echoed all around him as if it were the surroundings too asking the question.

_'How can I train you if I can't be with you?'_ came Tom's voice, the smirk twisting through the words like an undercurrent.

Harry found now that he was being dragged along by the current, being pulled deeper into the depths of his magic. Struggling against the tide he tried to grasp onto Tom but his hands went through him like he was a ghost.

_'I'm not here, I'm just a projection. Command your magic to obey you or you will be consumed by it"_ ordered Tom.

Harry was tiring fast now and his magic was relentless, it came at him in large waves that sent him tumbling deeper through the emerald ocean like a shipwrecked sailor. Unsure what way was up all he saw was the green surrounding him. It was calmer here and instead of being swept away by the current he was just nudged lightly. Calmness spread throughout him as he floated, he found that he had no need for breathing and assumed that he, like Tom, was only a projection. His muscles felt like lead weights and as he was slowly dragged deeper he felt his eyelids growing heavy, begging to be allowed to shut. He almost gave in to the urge before a sharp voice brought him back to awareness.

_'Harry listen to me, you need to command your magic to obey you, this is a trap.'_

Where had he heard that voice before? It seemed familiar but he was just so tired, maybe a few minutes of sleep would help him gain the energy to focus more.

_'Harry no! Don't do that! You have to listen to me, command your magic.'_

Urgh if only that stupid voice would shut up he could get some sleep! Snapping open his eyes in irritation he decided that maybe his he did what the voice asked he would be able to rest. Conjuring up his remaining energy reserves he let it surround him like a cloak.

_'Obey me, you are mine and so you shall do as I command!'_ he bellowed, his voice resonating through the liquid. Immediately after this the lulling waves became angrier. They hit into him, barrelling him further into the expanse. Slowly the green water darkened until all he could barely see anything, swimming further he squinted in the half light. It was too quiet, far too quiet. The water was getting thicker now making it harder to keep going, his brief spurt of energy had drained him considerably, and now it was only through determination that he continued on. Soon he came up against a barrier, the liquid had congealed to form a giant mass preventing him from going any further. Swimming back he then catapulted himself forwards breaking through the barrier and out into the light.

_'You have reached the centre of your core, now command it to obey you once more.'_

A golden orb was at the centre of the light. It was beautiful, the glassy surface rippled slightly at Harry's approach, as if his movements disturbed it somehow. Gazing at its surface his eyes burned at the brightness but he never cared. He wanted to touch it so badly. Raising trembling fingers to the surface he reached out to it-

_'Don't touch it, its power will destroy you, complete your mission and return.'_

Retracting his hand Harry gave one longing look at the orb before swimming away from it. Turning back he looked at it before clasping his hands together. Summoning the dregs of his energy his let it swirl around him before continuing.

_'Obey me, you are mine and so you shall do as I command' _his voice echoed and when it reached the orb the surface dimmed a little, a new crystalline layer had formed on top and he could see the molten gold lashing at it violently but still it would not give.

_'Take me back'_ he ordered. Gold bonds wrapped around his wrists before stretching outwards back from where he had came. They must have reached the other side for Harry found himself pulled along quickly and before he knew it he was opening his eyes.

"Good Harry" said Tom, "Now you have contained your magic we can get on with the lesson."

"Can I rest a little first?" asked Harry, his eyes drooping as his fatigue made itself known. Without waiting for a response Harry curled up on the cushioned floor before slipping into a gentle slumber.

Tom smiled at the endearing sight, his mask broken for a few moments as he let the boy rest. He truly was a remarkable child and his magic couldn't have been easy to contain. Taking pity on him he lifted Harry up and walked to the door at the back of the room, unwilling to Phase Harry back to his own in case he woke him. Wandlessly opening the door, he kicked it open a little further with his foot. Heading through the lounge they entered his bedroom, placing Harry gently on the soft mattress before pulling back and looking at his sleeping form. His heart lurched painfully as Harry gave a sob. Creasing his brow he took a step back. He couldn't allow himself to become further involved with the childe. Their destinies were already entwined enough without adding another complication. Hearing the boy cry once more Tom's curiosity got the better of him and he dived into Harry's mind, thankful that his heightened legilimency skill meant that he never had to have eye contact.

_The grounds of Hogwarts was eerily silent as Harry walked across them briskly. Tom saw him march right past him, entering the confines of the castle and followed quickly. Through the doors however was not the entrance hall but a cosy room. There was no furniture and the cluster of people stood awkwardly, gazing at Harry as if he had some disease._

_'You traitor' screamed a red headed boy with a long nose._

_'How could you do this to us?' asked a girl with bushy brown hair, tears running down her cheeks._

_'I'm sorry I -' began Harry desperately._

_'Sorry doesn't cover it. I died for you and you betray me by joining Voldemort' said a handsome man with long brown hair._

_'Sirius, its not like that please-'_

_'Harry he has killed hundreds of innocent people' said a woman with flame red hair that Tom recognised as Lily Potter._

_'You've disappointed me son' sighed a man with messy black hair and hazel eyes, curling his arm around Lily's waist making Tom realise that he was James Potter._

Tom had seen enough and exited Harry's mind. The childe remained asleep, his face serene with only the occasional whimper to indicate that his dreams were anything but nice. Tearing his gaze away from his form Tom strode out of the room, his mask back in place but his mind lingering on the scene he had witnessed.

* * *

Harry opened his eyes and stretched, yawning slightly as he took in his surroundings. The room was painted a pale blue with much the same furniture that he had in his own. The only indication, apart from the walls that he wasn't in his room was the green bedspread that he lay on. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes. Instead of feeling confused that he was in someone else's room he felt oddly calm. It was strange and he got the impression as if he almost belonged there. Shaking his head to dispel such ridiculous thoughts he got out of the bed and made his way towards the door. In the room beyond there was a comfortable looking couch with a table in front and a bookcase in the corner. A lamp hung from the ceiling but was rendered unnecessary by the light beaming in from the two large windows and in between them was a fireplace. Sitting on the couch was Tom, he was leafing through the book, a bored expression on his face. Every now and again he looked out of the window longingly, as if he wished to be out enjoying the summer instead of stuck in here. Wondering why he was forcing himself to stay inside Harry realised with a stab of guilt that it was probably because of him.

"Ah good you are awake, would you like something to eat or do you want to continue with the lesson" said Tom looking over at Harry before closing the book and placing it back in the bookcase. Harry's stomach growled in anticipation of a meal and Tom, picking up on it, smiled before walking through to an adjacent room. Waiting for a few moments Tom came back through with a tray with a plate of sandwiches on it and a glass of what Harry guessed was blood. Placing it on the table Tom motioned for Harry to sit down next to him on the couch. Moving forward Harry sat down and leaned back luxuriously before taking a sandwich and biting into it.

"Harry, I heard you talking in your sleep and I just wanted to say that if you want to talk about anything then don't hesitate to come to me, we are a lot more alike than you realise" said Tom. Looking over at the man Harry saw concern flash in his eyes before it was quickly replaced with a mask on indifference.

Finishing his sandwich Harry took a sip of the blood, his eyes rolling back in his head as the pleasure it brought assailed him. Recovering he saw Tom stare at him before hastily saying that he was ready to which his only response was an amused smirk.

* * *

Standing in the middle of the arena Harry watched in amazement as Tom ran forward, using his speed to lift himself of the ground and throwing a ball of flame from his palm towards a dummy that stood before him. The dummy ignited and Harry gazed as it turned to ash, the heat of the blaze warming him in the otherwise chilly room. Seeing Tom motion him forward he took his place before the ashes as Tom repaired the dummy with a quick move of his hand. Signalling that he should start Harry ran and let himself be lifted in the air. Channelling his magic from his core he felt it spread from his chest up his left arm. Imagining a burning flame his eyes widened as a ball of flame shot out of his hand and hit the dummy. In his surprise however he forgot that his speed was the only thing keeping him in the air and crashed to the floor, bouncing slightly as he came into contact with the enchanted tiles. Straightening himself up he looked over to Tom who was staring at him, his expression calm but amazement lingering behind his blue eyes. Smiling to himself Harry walked back over to Tom.

"Try it with water" said Tom, his eyes burning with curiosity.

Eventually Harry ended up doing the same move over and over again except using different elements each time. He never really got used to the rush of power he felt flowing through him when he released his magic but each time he saw Tom still held the same amazement in his eyes. When the lesson ended Tom reminded him of the ritual that night before going back into his chambers and acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Leaving the arena Harry walked back to his room, he was happy with his performance today but it was mild in comparison to what had transpired between him and Tom. He felt that he was finally getting to know the man in some way and that today some barrier had fallen between them. He couldn't honestly say that never scared him but what frightened him most was the part of him that was thrilled by it. Shuddering at the memory of Tom's magic he entered his room and tried to focus his mind on getting ready for the ritual.

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**A/N: Hey guys thanks for the feedback! Sorry for the late update I've been busy with my other fics. Remember that Tom is Harry's mentor and so it would be natural to be concerned about your charge, there is an attraction between them but most of the signs can easily be interpreted as a mentor/pupil relationship - Harry's reaction to Tom's magic was not because it was Tom but because of the power behind it, likewiseTom taking Harry to his room was because he was concerned for him and never wanted to wake him by Phasing to his own not because he loves him. I'm wanting to develop their relationship slowly but I don't want people getting the wrong impression at this stage :)**

**As for the different levels of the magical core, I really hadn't planned that and I just seemed to fit. If anyone has any questions I'll try and answer them to the best of my ability but I confess that I'm still trying to wrap my head around some of the things I wrote in that scene!  
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** DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

** I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

** Please Review!**


	8. Chapter 7: Ritual

_"Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher's instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order."  
~Xun Zi_

* * *

Shrugging on his black cloak, Harry looked in the mirror. His chest was bare, almost glowing in the half light that was being emitted from the lamp on the bedside table. Apart from the cloak the only other clothing he wore were black cotton trousers, they were loose and allowed optimum movement from the wearer. Due to the blood he had drank earlier with Tom his eyes glowed, the unearthly green combined with his black hair and pale skin made him really see that he was no longer human, he looked almost dangerous and smirking he saw his pair of fangs poke out from underneath his lips. It was strange seeing them there, they were the last thing to change and he still wasn't quite used to them. Lysander had explain a little of the ritual to him so he had some idea of what to expect. Apparently they still believed in the ancient Greek deities, Apollo was the most prominent as being the God of Prophecy he could help them in battle and it was thanks to him that they had noticed Harry in the first place, he shuddered to think what would have happened if they hadn't. In fact the Castle of the Night was the idea of the Grecian vampyres, their ideals were weaved through the walls and tapestries. However the first stronghold had been destroyed and they had to relocate to the castle that Harry was now inhabiting but still the culture had lived on. It was apparently during the ancient times that the battle between Light and Dark had been more ferocious and many lives had been lost. It saddened Harry to think of this but it was one consolation that there wasn't as much blood spilt in the conflicts of modern day making him a little more hopeful that he would survive this. Hearing a sharp knock on the door Harry turned his attention away from such morbid thinking. Walking over he opened it to reveal Tom looking as impassive as ever.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his eyes not giving any indication to the emotions the man was feeling.

"Yes, why exactly are we doing this?" asked Harry, shutting the door behind him with a soft thud.

"For years Alderan has put faith in the prophecies of Apollo. Back when they had to move to our current dwelling he wanted to keep as much of the Grecian traditions alive and preserve the old ways but the times had changed, the Grecian gods had fallen and the world entered a new age. Our realm may be separate from the mortal one but it doesn't mean that we aren't affected by it. New recruits bring new ideas and so the only Grecian god that remains is Apollo. At the middle of each month he holds a ritual to thank Apollo for his work and whether or not the god exists I wouldn't want to challenge it. I have seen some of the prophecies his oracles have said and they have been accurate, your living proof of that," they had reached a pair of double doors that held the temple of Apollo, "Now just follow me and don't speak unless spoken to," with that Tom opened the doors and ushered Harry inside.

Looking around Harry was awestruck by the temple. The walls were coated in giant mosaics, depicting scenes from his legends: Leto carrying the baby twins Apollo and Artemis, Apollo slaying Python in Delphi and his metamorphosis into a dolphin to escape from the island of Delos (his birthplace) to name a few. Columns held up the ceiling and Harry felt that he had stepped back in time, he could almost smell the offerings that the ancients had made to the god, burning it so that the god could enjoy the smell of the sacrifice. Interspaced between the columns were people dressed in garb similar to what Harry wore, however where his cloak was black the others varied with only a few wearing the same as himself. The floor, as well as the ceiling and columns were made of white marble and at the far end steps formed leading them up to a platform where Alderan was standing. He wore a black cloak but it was also lined with red, no shirt and the same black cotton trousers as Harry. An altar stood behind him and upon it was a goblet, its golden rim glinting in the light of the candles that hung in brackets.

Tom walked onwards up the centre and motioned for Harry to follow. Hurrying forward Harry felt eyes on him as he ascended the platform. Without warning Tom grabbed Harry's arm before offering it to Alderan. Taking the offered limb, Alderan produced an ornate dagger and sliced Harry's wrist. Blood pooled in the wound and Harry hissed as the tangy smell reached his senses. Resisting he watched as Alderan turned his wrist downwards so that the cut was over the goblet and Harry heard the small trickle as his blood poured into it. Tom too offered his wrist and copied Harry before pulling his wand out of a pocket on the inside of his robe and healing their wounds. Stepping back, Tom led Harry off the dais and stood at the foot of it with some of the others. A hush fell over the crowd and craning his head up at the platform he saw Alderan step forward, his eyes were lit up and he seemed to take on an unearthly glow.

"My brothers and sisters, we are here today to pay tribute to Apollo. He guides us through the winding path that Fate has thrust on us, strengthening us when we are weary, giving hope when we feel it is lost, helping us when we need aid. He is always with us in someway and it is only right that we give thanks as without him not all of us would be here today," Harry swore Alderan glanced at him, "He has never failed us, never in his long service to us and in return we offer blood. Blood is sacred, it keeps us strong and without it none of us would be here" Alderan's voice was strong, filled with passion and he turned towards the altar, his palms outstretched. Nearing the goblet flame sprung from the ancient's hands and ignited the blood inside the goblet. Motioning with his left hand Bellatrix hurried out of the crowd and ascended the platform. Holding her face over the smoke she inhaled slowly and Harry saw her change, her posture straightened and she writhed around madly, shrieking and clutching her heaving bosom. Turning towards the crowd he saw that her face was pale and her hair dishevelled but above all she radiated power.

"Sons and daughters, a dark time approaches, the next Achilles has bestowed his presence on you…be… wary… matched they shall be powerful… separate they carve a path of destruction…" her speech was fragmented as she struggled under the weight of the god, her limbs were flailing as if she were in a nightmare and fighting off imaginary fiends. Shuddering Harry looked up at Tom but his face was unreadable and his eyes trained on Alderan. Following his line of sight Harry saw that Alderan seemed pleased but something was burning beneath his silver eyes that unnerved Harry. Thoughts of this were soon abandoned when Bellatrix fell to the floor, panting heavily. Seeing it was time to leave the crowd slowly dispersed but Harry and Tom stayed where they were. Once the temple was cleared of the spectators they climbed up to the platform where Alderan held Bellatrix's trembling form.

"Bella are you alright?" asked Tom gently.

"Yes Tom, I should probably be used to it by now" she smiled weakly.

"Nonsense, I suppose you'll want a dreamless sleep potion from Miranda?" guessed Tom.

"I already have it, Nairne informed me of your episode" came a voice from the far end of the temple.

"Ah Miranda, excellent timing as always" said Tom, moving away from Bellatrix to allow the woman access. Miranda was a tall, slender and her platinum blond hair fell in waves to the small of her back. Her grey eyes were viewing the scene as a fundamentalist atheist might view a church gathering. Suppressing a chuckle at the sceptical woman, Harry stepped back and watched her work. Apparently the creature blood that she possessed was from a unicorn and gave her healing powers but was forbidden from the Light realm as her father had been a demon. Seeing her help Bellatrix however Harry was once again shown how the prejudices of Dark creatures prevented some from reaching their potential. Miranda was renowned for her healing abilities and yet she was shunned because she was part demon, the good she could do diminished because of twisted perspectives. When she was done Harry ran forward to help her pick the oracle up, and take her to her bedchambers. As it was in the ancient time the oracle never lived far from the temple and so it was only a short journey. Closing the door softly behind them Harry left Tom with Alderan and Miranda, he hadn't had a chance to eat before the ritual and he was famished.

Rounding a corner he stopped when he heard gasping coming from behind a statue of a sphinx. Approaching it he raised an eyebrow, amusement coursing through his system. Lysander had Blaise pinned to the wall, his leg was in between Blaise's thighs, kneading the erection that Harry could see bulging in the boy's trousers. Lysander had latched himself onto his neck eliciting a gasp from Blaise. It appeared that Lysander had done this a few times and knew exactly where his sensitive spots were as soon Blaise's back was arching and his face was flushed. Coughing Harry watched as they sprung apart, guilty looks flitting across their faces as they tried to gain composure. Upon seeing it was Harry however the guilty look was wiped off as quickly as it came.

"I'm just heading to the dining hall, would you like to join me? Once your finished here of course" Harry couldn't resist adding and relishing it when the two boys blushed slightly.

Walking on Harry smirked as he heard them resume their 'activities'. He felt rather bad for them actually. Since Lysander went to Beauxbatton's and Blaise to Hogwarts there was very little time to see each other. He knew that Lysander had asked his parents to let him go to Hogwarts but they refused saying that Beauxbatton's offered a better range of subjects. Hmm, maybe he could ask Tom about it, if he was meant to be some sort of weapon for the Dark then surely he would need some protection when entering the Fortress of the Light, it was worth considering at least. Walking into the lunch hall Harry grabbed a tray and approached the buffet. Only younglings ate here, the older ones preferring to eat in their chambers since they mainly lived in the Castle and the younglings were only their on their holidays. Sitting down at one of the many tables he picked at his salad. Even with the potion he found meat unbearable, it tasted bland and made his stomach feel queasy, although thankfully he hadn't thrown up since his last day at the Dursley's. Popping a tomato in his mouth he bit into it, savouring the flavours that ran over his tongue, it was tangy and made his mouth water. Hearing the sound of chairs scraping against the floor his eyes snapped open and he saw Lysander and Blaise sitting opposite him. Both were grinning and Harry rolled his eyes, just because they never had a lot of time with each other never meant they could go at it like rabbits anywhere in the castle.

"So how was the ritual?" asked Lysander, propping his elbows on the table and leaning his head on his hands.

"Wait you weren't there?" asked Harry, he had assumed all of Tom's pupils would be there and it had been too dark to see well in the temple.

"No we were… occupied" said Blaise, sharing a glance with Lysander.

"He'll kill you for not being there" said Harry, biting into a piece of cucumber.

"Nah we weren't important enough to be there" said Lysander nonchalantly.

"But then why did I have to go?" asked Harry.

"They seem to have taken a special interest in you, haven't you noticed?" said Blaise incredulously.

"Wha?" blurted out Harry, all eloquence abandoned.

"I told you he was obtuse!" yelled Blaise triumphantly.

"Hey! I am not!" exclaimed Harry.

"I believe this is evidence to the contrary" sighed Lysander.

"Okay so since I am so blind, why don't you tell me what I've missed" said Harry, pressing his palms flat on the table.

"Well Tom spends way more time training you than he ever did us, we never got any one to one meetings with him either, we were trained together-" started Blaise.

"Which we are by no means complaining about" interjected Lysander smiling.

"You have to be invited to the rituals so the fact that you were is a little suspicious. Also Tom never guided us anywhere, do you know how many times I've gotten lost in this place!" said Blaise.

"Yes but that helped us discover a few places" said Lysander, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Urgh guys I don't need to know anymore" groaned Harry.

"Ah Harry there you are" came a sharp voice, floating into their conversation. Looking up Harry saw Tom walking towards them. At this Lysander and Blaise tried not to laugh. Tom raised his eyebrows as he watched the two lovers and Harry could swear that amusement flickered in his eyes for a moment before dissipating as quickly as it came.

"I was just wondering what you thought of the ritual" said Tom, sitting next to Lysander. Spearing another tomato Harry chewed it thoughtfully before answering.

"I thought it was interesting. Alderan really believes in that stuff doesn't he?"

"Yes, I think his mentor was one of the Priests of Apollo and that had a profound affect on him."

"You can see it in his eyes when he was talking, I've never seen someone talk about something with such conviction in it before."

"Alderan felt that you should hear the prophecies that Bella gives first hand, I do not know his reasoning behind this but if he says so then it must be important."

"Oh, I thought that all new recruits were meant to attend" said Harry, he guessed that if Tom hadn't said anything he should probably feign ignorance.

"No, only ones whom are invited to attend may go" said Tom.

"Why did he invite me?" asked Harry.

"That I do not know, anyway I shall intrude no longer, have a pleasant evening" said Tom, standing up.

Seeing him walk away Harry wondered what Alderan was up to, it appeared all was not as it seemed in the Castle of the Night.

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**A/N: Thanks for the feedback. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I know that the sacrifices never happened like that in ancient Greece but I wanted to tweak it slightly and get the prophecy in there. If I have gotten anything wrong however about my Greek myths and practises I apologise as I am studying both the Romans and the Greeks so I get mixed up sometimes. I wanted to add a scene with Harry, Blaise and Lysander now remember he has been at the castle for over two weeks so he has gotten to know them in that time therefore them being friendly isn't really out of the blue :)  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes that were present in this chapter.**

**Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 8: Partnership

_"Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old."_  
_~ Winston Churchill_

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Entering the arena for this lesson, Harry stiffened slightly upon seeing he was alone, but nonetheless continued walking towards the centre of the room. Closing his eyes he reached out with his senses, occluding his mind so that his thoughts wouldn't distract him. Hearing a soft heartbeat Harry's eyes snapped open and he cocked his head, scanning the area for any sign of life. Crouching, he felt his muscles coil in anticipation. Reaching out again he heard the heartbeat once more and, wasting no time, lunged forward, his hands outstretched as he tackled a seemingly invisible object. Feeling his opponent escape his grasp, Harry wheeled around, lashing out with his magic and sending it out in waves. Feeling a spike in the furthest corner of the room Harry moaned a little as the pleasure washed over him, his eyes rolling back as it pulsed slightly filling him with desire. Gasping, he felt something throw him back, in his distraction he hadn't felt the air displace as Tom rushed at him - he was sure it was Tom, only his magic would invoke that reaction out of him. Slamming into the wall, he bounced slightly as the cushioning charm absorbed the impact.

Landing in a crouch, he reached out with his magic, feeling his insides warm up a little as he located him. Not allowing himself to be distracted again, he ran forward, lifting himself up and hurled shards of ice in Tom's direction. Seeing them melt in midair, Harry watched as the water droplets splattered on the floor before seeping into the cracks in the stone. Slowing down, he felt himself drop and landed lightly on the balls of his feet. Listening, he thought he could hear the air molecules being displaced, the atoms crashing against one another as Tom moved. Following the sound, Harry averted his eyes from Tom's location, making it seem as if he was just wandering. No longer hearing the atomic symphony, Harry reached out once more with his magic, confirming that Tom had indeed stopped. Conjuring a rope of flame he spun it in his hands before throwing it at Tom, the rope coiled around the invisible man and whilst he tried to shake it off, Harry whispered 'finite incantatum' effectively magicking away the rope and feeling drained, walked over to a wall, intent on resting. However as soon as he had turned his back Tom launched himself at him, and Harry - taken by surprise - never had time to prevent it. Crashing to the ground Harry watched as colour spread over the once invisible surface. As Tom appeared, Harry found that he couldn't get up as he was pinned underneath the older vampyre. Seeing this, Tom stood up and straightened his shirt, trying to remove the creases that his fall had generated. Once he was satisfied he looked down at Harry, an eyebrow arching, morphing his usually impassive features into an amused expression as he saw his pupil still sprawled in the ground. Seeing Tom hold out an hand, Harry grabbed it and let himself be helped up.

"What was that for?" asked Harry irritably.

"Never turn your back on your enemy" said Tom simply, healing the burns the rope had made.

"Your not my enemy and how could I know if I was turning my back on you, you were invisible!" exclaimed Harry, creating a ball of snow and throwing it at his mentor. Sure it was petty but he wanted some sort of revenge.

"Imagine that I am, when training like this you must forget that I am your mentor. Many enemies have the power of invisibility and this way your senses shall heighten making you less of an easy target" said Tom, his voice emotionless as he deflected the projectile with a wave of his hand, "I see you've been practising your magic."

"Its two weeks till term starts, I need to be ready" said Harry automatically, his stomach muscles clenching at the thought. He was nervous about returning, so much had changed and it was strange viewing the place he'd once called home through what he supposed were now enemy eyes.

"You may be ready physically but I fear that you haven't been told enough not to be swayed back to the Light" said Tom impassively.

"I would never go back after what they have done" spat Harry venomously, offended that Tom would think he was that weak.

"You may say that now but Dumbledore is very persuasive, you have no idea how strong he really is" said Tom, still infuriatingly emotionless.

"Then tell me" said Harry, trying to rein his temper in. He wasn't some little boy and if they were keeping secrets from him they would rue the day.

"I intend to, however I would rather move this conversation to a more comfortable place" said Tom, nodding his head towards the door at the far end, behind which Harry knew his chambers were.

"Of course" replied Harry, his anger dissipating at the thought of going into Tom's chambers, for some reason it made him nervous and he felt more jittery as they got closer. Opening the door, the elder vampyre motioned for him to go in and, upon entering, Harry was once again hit with the feeling of belonging, quelling his anxiety immediately.

Taking a seat on the couch, Harry stretched and allowed himself to relax into the cushions. Eyeing the coffee table he thought better than to put his feet up no matter how tranquil he was now feeling, besides there was a book in the way. Curious, Harry leaned forward, picking up the old volume. It was paperback and well worn if the creases marring the spine were anything to go by. There was no picture on the front, just the title: The Great Gatsby. Flicking open the book he read the first page and one line seemed to linger in his memory:

_'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since 'Whenever you feel like criticising anyone,' he told me, 'just remember all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had'_

Harry felt like he should send that to Dumbledore, it seemed oddly fitting somehow. Feeling Tom sit down next to him, he leaned back, the book still in his hand. Seeing Tom glance at it, Harry realised that he hadn't asked if he could look at it.

"Sorry, I was curious and-" However instead of the lecture he thought he would get about respecting other peoples property, he was taken aback as Tom began laughing. His mask seemed to melt away, revealing a youthful face alight with mirth, and Harry couldn't help but notice how much more attractive he looked but violently suppressed this thought as soon as it announced it's presence.

"Have I missed something?" asked Harry, his eyebrows knitting together as he wondered what he had done to elicit this reaction from the normally impassive man.

"No but judging by your expression you I was going to hex" said Tom, his eyes still shining with amusement.

"I wouldn't put it past you" muttered Harry, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Good. Are you interested in that book?" asked Tom, looking back Harry saw that the mask had been put back on and felt a shock of disappointment jolt through his stomach.

"It was the title that intrigued me, its interesting that it is called The Great Gatsby when the narrator said Gatsby represented everything that he abhorred" answered Harry.

"Yes but not everything is as it appears, remember that" said Tom.

"I assume you like it" guessed Harry.

"It is one of my favourites yes. Oh and before you say it I know it was written by a muggle but that doesn't make it any less of a literary masterpiece" said Tom, Harry never had a clue what it was about, let alone that it was written by a muggle however he held his tongue and just went along with it.

"I thought that you wanted to eradicate all muggles though?" asked Harry, his mind trying to come up with a question to break through the deafening silence.

"Do you remember anything I told you in your dreams?" asked Tom, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Yes but you never really explained it in detail" defended Harry.

"I never had much time, I thought I would have had days but the acceleration prevented that something which I now hope to rectify" said Tom, slipping into what Harry called 'lecture mode', "Now just like we have a realm the light too have a realm. The leaders of the realms however cannot intrude on wizarding soil, that was designated as neutral territory in the first meeting of the clans. However the Light got around this by using someone who was already in the wizarding world as a puppet and acted through him to enforce their ideas and slowly take over-"

"Dumbledore" interrupted Harry.

"Indeed" said Tom grimly.

"So that makes you the servant for the Dark" concluded Harry.

"It does. Alderan was waiting for someone who was strong enough to carry the burden. He watched me from afar as I grew up, keeping an eye on my clashes with Dumbledore. He probably sensed the darkness in me from a mile away! The strength of my magic activated the gene early and seeing this he introduced me to the realm when I was fourteen, training me personally and honing my skills so that I could hope to lead the forces of the Dark successfully. When I returned my friends were awed by my newfound abilities and I gathered followers quickly. We knew eradicating the muggles would be a fruitless endevour, and so we decided that isolation was more practical. This would benefit everyone as the muggles are always after knowledge, for new ways to kill each other. It is only a matter of time until they pursue magic and when that happens all that we know now will end. Isolation is in everyone's best interest and will also prevent the dilution of the creature blood needed to activate the genes in out fellow kinsmen and women. However in order to do this we must take over the Ministry, the Light are using this weakness to wipe out our ancient races and by spreading lies about us Dark creatures are persecuted and shunned in society. They think too highly of muggles, believe them to be understanding creatures and this belief shall destroy our world if we let them continue. We are hoping that we can take over the Ministry and with that the wizarding world, then we shall draw up a new contract, this one with no loopholes and balance shall be restored between the magicks once more. Your power plays a key role in these plans. It has brought hope to the hearts of many, Apollo has never given a false prophecy and the abilities you have displayed are unknown to younglings. With the sheer size of your magical core it is unimaginable the power you could wield" finished Tom fervently, his voice burning with curiosity.

"Thank you for telling me all of this" said Harry quietly, his mind reeling from what Tom had just divulged.

"I felt that it was your right to know, Alderan wasn't sure about me telling you all of this. He wasn't sure giving you this much information was wise considering you were going to be infiltrating the Fortress of the Light. He was worried that they would get it out of you somehow if you betrayed us or were forced and therefore know our whole plan. However I insisted" said Tom, his tone of voice clearly showed how highly he thought of Alderan's fears.

"Why did you want to tell me so badly?" asked Harry.

"I know what it's like to feel like not to belong" said Tom quietly.

"What happened to you?" It was only later he realised the highly personal nature of this question.

"I was in a muggle orphanage for the first eleven years of my life. There I was ostracised by the fellow children because my random bursts of magic which thereby made me a freak. I believed this until Dumbledore came and visited me, telling me I was a wizard. When I was sent to Hogwarts I was placed in Slytherin and immediately the rest of the school automatically hated me because of my house. It is Dumbledore's way of alienating the so called 'dark' wizards and further promoting prejudice against us. I'm sure you've noticed that he does nothing to prevent the other houses ganging up on Slytherin. I was so adamant about you knowing as I wanted you to know about our aims so that you could trust us more, feel you belonged here which would only be possible if you knew everything. Without that there would still be an underlying doubt that we are merely tricking you and so this could easily be manipulated by Dumbledore to coerce you into tell him our plans. Understanding is usually the key to acceptance after all" replied Tom, examining his nails as if he were bored however Harry could guess how much it took to tell him all that.

"I trust you and I won't tell Dumbledore anything willingly" said Harry, the words tasted strange on his tongue but nonetheless he knew that they were the truth.

"Then its good to know I was right."

They sat in silence for a moment, Tom gazing out of the window whilst Harry tried to organise his thoughts. So there was another Light realm, the Dark never wanted to take over for their own agenda they just wanted peace and from his experience with muggles he concurred with the conclusion Tom had reached about the future if they never acted. This wasn't what was freaking him out at that moment however. He knew Tom had already told him vaguely of the prophecy but now it seemed to fully hit him. In essence he had to take down a whole regime on his own. Even in his mind it sounded impossible, let alone actually applying it.

_'Your not alone'_ came a voice in the back of his head.

_'What?'_

_'Remember the prophecy?'_

_'What prophecy?'_

_'Bellatrix' one, matched they shall be powerful, separate they pave a path of destruction'_

Harry felt the pieces fall together, joining and creating the full picture. Taking a step back Harry looked at the scene. He and Tom were fighting side by side, weaving between enemy spells as if they were one entity. Tom fired off a series of hexes whilst Harry, as if reading his mind, watched his back, shielding him from the oncoming jets of light. Then the picture dissolved, disintegrating into pieces and fluttering away into his imagination. As soon as this one had left however another appeared. This time the air was thick and everywhere he looked was blanketed in white. The few buildings visible underneath the snow were crumbling, groaning under the strain. He knew instinctively that this was what was going to happen if he and Tom never teamed up. The muggles would start their war with the wizards and when normal weapons were found to be ineffective they would resort to drastic means. Gazing at the nuclear winter, Harry wasn't sad to see this image go back into his subconscious. Opening his eyes he was almost surprised to be greeted with Tom's lounge, the warmth of the room contrasting sharply with the scene he had just seen. Shuddering slightly he saw Tom turn to him.

"What is wrong?" asked Tom, his face impassive but his voice had a slight hint of concern.

"I've just realised what the prophecy Bellatrix made meant" said Harry quietly. Immediately Tom's eyes gained a glint of understanding.

"Yes, I imagine that is why Alderan wanted you there, by getting a first hand account you are more likely to accept it as the truth."

"So we are going to be partners, together our combined powers can bring peace?" asked Harry.

"Yes, I am sure you have notice, or at least your friends have noticed that we have been training you slightly differently from the others. Alderan wanted our magic to become accustomed to one another, instead of clashing like it has done every other time we have met. In this way we can fight more efficiently and create greater unity amongst the ranks, as once they see that you are not our enemy anymore then there is bound to be some unrest."

"Wait, I have to join the Death Eaters?" asked Harry, he knew he probably shouldn't be surprised by this but his mind had other ideas.

"No, you shall be a Lord by my side, making you a servant would be detrimental to our efforts for partnership, together we shall lead our army against the Light and bring their regime to an end before they destroy our world" said Tom, his eyes lighting up as he painted the future.

"But what will you say about my defecting to the Dark side and how can I rule with you when I'm at Hogwarts?" asked Harry, surely this was unrealistic, how would he be able to do all of this without Dumbledore finding out or getting cursed by Death Eaters.

"They will do as they are told," hissed Tom, his voice sounding much more like Voldemort, "As for Dumbledore, you can Phase to Riddle Manor in seconds so all you really have to do is make up some good excuses that will give you a couple of hours of free time."

As easy as Tom made it sound, Harry couldn't help feel the ever looming shadow of misfortune pass over him for a moment before slinking away to the corner biding it's time.

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**A/N: Thank you for the feedback, I was surprised by the amount of reviews, I'm not used this story getting that many for one chapter! Sorry for the late update I've got impending exams and I have been finishing up another story that took a lot of my allotted FF time.  
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** The training session at the start was Tom testing Harry's senses and what better way to do so than by making himself invisible! Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - actually I seriously recommend The Great Gatsby as it is such a beautiful piece of literature... okay I'm going to stop now as I could go on for hours...  
**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

**Please Review, your reviews really encouraged me last time :)**


	10. Chapter 9: Diagon Alley

_"There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures"_  
_~James Thurber_

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Harry scanned his Hogwarts letter whilst absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. He should have known that she would find him, she seemed to have a sixth sense and was able to hone in on the location of any person she needed to get to. Harry smiled as she cooed softly in his ear. She seemed like a slice of normalcy that had appeared when he had needed it most. The shift of realms was one thing, however the shift of ideals was a whole other thing entirely. He had mulled over what Tom had told him and he surprised himself by believing him. Before he would have scoffed and called it ridiculous but Tom never lied about his vampyrism, why couldn't this be true as well? Maybe Dumbledore really was that manipulative, it wouldn't come as a huge shock, over the years he had been aware that half of the things he had been through could have been prevented by the aged wizard. But where would that leave Ron and Hermione? Would they side with him or against him? It was painful to think that he could be going against his bestfriends... maybe if he just told them the truth they would be more open minded? It was always something to consider. Hearing a knock on his door Harry strode over to it, tossing the letter onto his bed. Opening the door he looked up to see Tom, his features made Harry see that he was annoyed about something and before Harry could fathom what he found Tom had pushed past him, taking a seat on the couch. Flopping down next to him he could see the older vampyre roll his eyes at his pupil's lack of elegance. Not caring in the slightest, Harry turned to look at him, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"I see that you received your Hogwarts letter" remarked Tom, looking at the parchment on the bed clearly displaying the Hogwarts emblem.

"Yes, Hedwig managed to find me and deliver it" said Harry, feeling pride in his familiar's capabilities.

"She's a very clever owl. Alderan informed me that Blaise, Zacharias, Hannah and Luna had also received theirs. However they shall be accompanying their families and it would look suspicious if Harry Potter went along..." Tom seemed unwilling to continue.

"What does he want me to do?" asked Harry, diving straight into the heart of the matter.

"He wishes me to accompany you, both of us disguised however. He is as old as he is paranoid, although in this case I believe he has a right" answered Tom evenly.

"Why can't I go on my own?"

"Alderan is worried that the Light forces will sense your change and so you will need someone to keep you from harm."

"Why you?" It really never made sense why their Lord would send Tom to, in essence, baby-sit him.

"I am the strongest dueller in this realm and your protection is paramount" replied Tom, his voice was still steady but Harry could hear the annoyance that lightly laced the words.

"I suppose we better get going then" sighed Harry, it was clear Tom never wanted to go and sometimes he wished he could just say 'no' to Alderan but no, the stupid Lord had to order everyone about regardless of personal feelings!

"It isn't that I do not enjoy spending time with you, I had just had other matters that I wished to attend to today" said Tom, hearing the dejection in Harry's voice.

"How are we going to be disguised? I'm assuming a fake beard won't cut it" asked Harry, his mood lifted slightly at Tom's statement.

"I'm afraid not" chuckled Tom, "Glamours will have to do". At this Tom raised his wand and walked over to Harry. One by one Harry felt his features changing slightly, it was a little disconcerting but thankfully Tom was finished quickly. Conjuring a mirror he glanced at his appearance. Instead of short, messy and black, his hair was now honey blond and brushed his shoulders, reminding Harry slightly of Lysander. His face was now more pointy and Harry had brief flashes of Malfoy before cringing slightly and directing his attention elsewhere. Instead of bright viridian his eyes were now a deep blue with little specks of green. Other than that his features were the same but they seemed drowned out by Tom's modifications. Glancing at his forehead he saw that his scar had disappeared as well. Yes, he was sure no one would realise that he was Harry Potter. Turning to Tom he saw that the man's hair was now chestnut brown and short, his eyes too were still blue and his face was a little more rounder. However, he still retained the elegant and slightly dangerous air about him that reminded Harry who the man underneath the mask truly was.

Opening his wardrobe Harry rummaged around until he found his summer cloak, it was still daylight and he wanted to be as protected as possible from the rays of the sun. Even in the castle he felt a little fatigued and it would only worsen when he was outside. Tom had assured him however that he would become accustomed to this with time, but he just hoped it never hindered him in Hogwarts. Fastening his cloak, he checked to make sure he still had his sack of the remaining money from last year. Walking over to Tom, the elder vampyre held out his arm. Holding onto it Harry was once again filled with the unpleasant sensation of disintegrating before he reformed in an alleyway near the Leaky Caldron.

Stepping into the pub Harry was hit by a barrage of sensations. He wrinkled his nose as the scent of human filth mixed with stale beer was registered by his nostrils, resisting, with difficultly, the urge to gag.

Then there was the noise.

It was like he had walked right into a wall of sound and his head throbbed, feeling like it was going to split open. He hadn't realised before now how graceful and elegant people were in the Midnight Realm and it was quite a complete shock to his system. Feeling Tom grab his arm he allowed himself to be dragged out the back and into the alley. It was even worse here and Harry resisted the urge to run out of there in an effort to escape the crippling pain. Numbly he noticed Tom had taken him to the side in an empty close but was too lost in the sensations to care.

"Are you okay?" asked Tom, his voice tinged with concern.

"It hurts" gasped Harry, crumbling to the ground and hugging his knees to his chest. He hated how weak he was being but he hadn't expected that at all. How would he survive at Hogwarts if he couldn't even last a few minutes outside his realm! As if reading his mind Tom hauled him up and supported him whilst he weaved his wand in intricate patterns. Soon the voices dimmed until they were at 'normal' volume.

"How did you do that?" asked Harry, feeling a little dazed at the sudden absence of pain.

"I performed the Quietis Charm, it lowers your sensory receptors in your ears but I'm afraid that I can do nothing about the smell" explained Tom impassively, if Harry hadn't been looking right at him he would have missed the apologetic look that quickly flashed in his eyes. However he felt too grateful to ponder on this for more than a moments. Glancing at the list he groaned when he saw how much he would need this term, feeling his heart sink he realised that he would probably have to go to Gringotts.

"Alderan already contacted Gringotts and they have agreed not to reveal your identity" said Tom, Harry was beginning to get freaked out at how easily the man read him, maybe it was something to do with his heightened legillimency…

"How did they agree to that?" asked Harry.

"Alderan and the goblins formed an alliance a few centuries ago, they have long been oppressed by the Light rulers and respect Alderan's cause so they would be more inclined to trust his word, even if they have chosen to remain neutral in the war. All we ask of them is discretion and commission them to create various metalwork for us, in fact at the moment they are creating a bronze statue of Apollo for the temple, Alderan is quite enthusiastic about it" answered Tom calmly, Harry knew he had just added the part about the statue to make it clear the goblins never just made them weapons.

Moving to go back into the street, Harry suddenly became aware of how close they were. Tom's hands were still on his arms from when he had pulled him up and Harry could feel Tom's breath ghost on his face. Shivering slightly he tried to suppress the irrational desire welling in his gut. He shouldn't be affected like this by Tom, it was wrong! He was The Golden Boy, The Chosen One, The-Boy-Who-Lived-

_'No you're not' _came the pesky voice from the back of his mind.

_'What?'_

_'You are no longer Light therefore you do not have to conform to their rules'_

_'But its wrong!'_

_'Why?'_

_'It just is!'_

_'Be that as it may it doesn't change anything'_

Harry ignored that last remark and pulled out of Tom's grasp. He barely noticed the elder vampyre as he followed his charge back into the alley. Breaking into the stream of shoppers, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as his now dulled hearing proved to be a success, and headed for the very familiar white building, looming over its shabby neighbours. Entering through the bronze and silver doors, Harry made his way through the desks to the main counter. Approaching a free goblin, Harry felt rather uncomfortable as it's beady eyes raked up and down his body.

"Good afternoon, I am Zxunok, how may I help you?" his voice was aged but his eyes gave an impression that was anything but weak.

"We would like to withdraw some money from this vault" answered Tom smoothly, handing over Harry's key. Analysing it the goblin's eyes seemed to light up as he realised who he was really serving and, without further adieu, led them over to one of the many carts. Stepping in, Harry was suddenly taken back to his first time with Hagrid. He had had little need to return to Gringotts after that and so this was his first time since. It seemed so long ago that he had went whizzing through these tunnels with the half-giant, another life in fact. Here he was sitting in the cart once more except with, what his younger self then believed to be, his enemy. It was strange that the first time he had entered this place it was his introduction to the world of deception and that he was only breaking free of now he rode in it once more. It seemed almost fitting. Coming to a stop Harry was wrenched out of his musings as Zxunok called them over. The door looked as if it were made of iron and was bare except for the small keyhole in the centre. The goblin, seeing he had their attention, inserted the key into the lock and turned it thrice clockwise. Clicking sounds emanated from the walls and Harry stepped back as the iron-like substance seemed to melt away, displaying the room behind it. Entering, Harry was almost blinded by the golden light, gleaming from the piles of galleons placed haphazardly around the room. Not knowing where to begin, he helplessly glanced at Zxunok.

"Take this," said the goblin, holding out a magenta velvet sack, "Place as many galleons as you need in the sack and once they are depleted more will be automatically drawn from your vault, this way you will not have to keep returning."

Gratefully, Harry took the bag and began scooping money into it. When he felt he had enough, he drew the gold drawstrings and tied them together, hearing a clinking noise as the money was bunched up. Normally Harry would have had trouble carrying it but his new found strength made it seem almost feather light. Zxunok raise a white eyebrow at this but never said anything. Walking over to Tom, they made their way back to the cart and began the tumultuous ride back to the surface. Before going back into the lobby however Zxunok pulled them both aside.

"Sir, Ragnok wished to inform you that your order is nearly complete and should be ready by next Tuesday" whispered Zxunok.

"Thank you, I shall inform Alderan when we return" said Tom, impassively.

Bowing, Zxunok then led them back to the lobby before biding them a safe journey and farewell. Exiting the bank Harry was once again thrown into the hustle and bustle of the busy street. He was almost swept away until Tom grabbed his arm and led him through the crowds. They seemed to part for him, he naturally exuded power and Harry could almost feel his magic wrap around them, almost warning others not to get close. When he was Harry Potter no one would dare barge into him, they would just gawk at him like he was some animal in the zoo. Now he was shoved about and Harry knew that without Tom's help shopping would have them a lot longer to meander through the crowd. Entering the Apothecary, Harry quickly replenished his potions kit while Tom browsed in the restricted section before purchasing a few materials. When Harry tried to see what they were, Tom turned slightly obstructing his view. They quickly made their way through the list and Harry even managed to get himself new clothes at Madam Malkins as in Tom's words his old ones were "unbefitting of a tramp". They had saved DADA till last and it was with relief that Harry entered Shifty and Shift E. R. According to Tom it was, in his day, one of the best Dark Arts shops in Britain. Of course it also had a Defence aspect but back then Tom hadn't really been interested in that particular attribute. Harry had never entered the shop before, always going to Flourish and Blotts for his books but apparently here there was a better range for extra-curricular reading material. Crossing the threshold Harry felt magic hit him, it wasn't all Dark but then it wasn't all Light, more of a balance. It felt refreshing, showing that the two could co-exist peacefully, in perfect harmony like the should. There were rows of old bookshelves, each containing old tomes that looked as if only the magic contained within their pages was the only thing keeping them together. In glass cabinets along the left wall were trinkets, Harry could spot a few foe glasses and sneakoscopes but apart from that he never had a clue what the others were.

Tom walked briskly to the counter where a pale man with greasy black hair stood. He was slightly hunched and he wore standard black robes. If Harry never knew better he would have thought he was a vampire, looking closely he saw that his canines were slightly elongated. He certainly had vampire blood in him then, perhaps his father or mother was one? Tom and the man were having a hushed conversation and Harry felt it best not to intrude. Wandering over to the bookcases he scanned the spines. Some of the titles were faded and others were gleaming brightly. One title caught his attention however, and he lifted the book down from its resting place. Opening it the smell of old books greeted his nostrils. Inhaling the scent he scanned the page. It was about Dark creatures and he had to laugh at some of the descriptions of vampyres. However through all the nonsense there was some snippets of truth and that was enough to make it interesting. Closing the volume, he saw Tom was now busy perusing the tomes and walked over to the counter, intent on buying it.

"That will be twenty galleons" said the man, his voice was sharp and carried with it unspoken promises of what would happen if he tried to haggle. Reaching into his bag he placed the money on the counter. At this moment however Tom came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Now, now Garret I'm sure we can make that ten" said Tom, injecting some charm into his voice.

"Seventeen and that's my final offer" said Garret, his eyes locked on Tom's.

"The wording is faded and some pages are torn, I think that calls for fifteen" retorted Tom.

"Can't get past you, can we?" chuckled Garret, "Fifteen it is."

Taking back five galleons, Harry handed over the rest and shrunk the book before placing it in his bag, he was glad Tom had cast a Lightening Charm on it or else even with his superior strength he probably wouldn't have been able to carry it without some difficulty. Tom too bought a book before they made their way out of the shop. Breathing in the fresh air, Harry suppressed a sigh of relief that his school shopping was over with.

"I've known Garret for over fifty years and he still tries to haggle with me" said Tom, amusement glittering in his eyes as they made their way through the crowd.

"But wait doesn't that mean he knows who you are?" asked Harry, slightly alarmed.

"I have many faces, he doesn't have any idea who I really am, he may suspect but even then it wouldn't be an issue" said Tom.

"Is that because he is part vampire?" asked Harry.

"His father was a vampire yes, it is unusual for one to procreate but the genetic abnormalities normally fade after a few generations. Now, it is only six o'clock, when we get back I want you to rest for one hour and get something to eat before meeting me in the arena. Just because you've been out today does not mean we can slack on your training" said Tom severely.

Groaning at this Harry entered an alleyway and grabbed Tom's arm before they faded away into the shadows.

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**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next as I have my exams next week and I really need to study *groan* but it might be sometime next week depending on how much work I get done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

**Reviews are appreciated :)  
**


	11. Chapter 10: Temptation

_"We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us."  
Francois Rabelais_

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_Hurling a stunner at Tom, Harry ducked awaiting Tom's response. Sure enough an orb of flame flew over his head, singeing his hair slightly before slamming into the wall. Quickly Harry ran across the arena, weaving in between spells before speeding up barrelling right into Tom. Flying across the room, they bounced off one of the walls, landing lightly on the floor. Pinning Tom down, Harry bared his fangs, inching them closer to his mentor's jugular. He could hear the sweet blood rush through the artery compelling him...

"Fine, you win" grumbled Tom, breaking Harry out of his trance.

Sitting up, Harry became aware that he was now, in effect straddling him and got up so fast that, for a moment, he was mesmerised by the room spinning. Feeling a hand clamp down on his shoulder, he looked into sapphire eyes, seeing a twinge of concern in their otherwise icy depths.

"When was the last time you fed?" asked Tom.

"Um, two or three weeks ago" answered Harry. In all honesty he couldn't really remember, time seemed to move strangely in this realm and it was hard to keep track of it.

"Hmm, come, your body needs more energy, especially after so much training" said Tom, leading him to his chambers.

Sitting down on the familiar couch Harry felt another wave of dizziness overwhelm him. Clasping his head in his hands, he groaned, resisting the urge to be sick. Curling up on the couch, he closed his eyes, not caring that he was acting weak. If there was one thing he hated about vampyrism, it was how dependent is made one on blood. However he was suspicious that his current state was not just a because of his lack of blood. Getting up to fast had been the trigger and then thinking back to the reasons for his sudden movement….

No he would not go there.

"Here take this" said Tom gently, prising Harry's hands from his face and enclosing his fingers around the cool glass of a crystal goblet. The thick, red liquid was sloshing slightly as his hand shook, seeing this Tom placed his hand over Harry's, guiding the goblet to Harry's awaiting mouth. Slurping noisily, Harry felt a rush as the liquid poured down his throat. His eyes glowed eerily and he once again felt an uncontrollable lust for more blood. This was the longest he had gone without the substance since his change, Lysander often made sure that he remembered to take it. However Lysander had been spending even more time with Blaise as the holidays drew to a close meaning Harry was left in charge of his own blood supply. And if there was one thing about Harry that everyone knew, he wasn't very good at looking after himself. In fact, with the whole 'going back to Hogwarts thing' coming up he had been spending even more time training and everything else had taken a backseat. It was only now he was seeing that maybe ignoring things in favour of others wasn't the best way to go about things.

Groaning, Harry dug his nails into the couch and ripping sounds resounded throughout the room. He needed more goddammit! Growling in frustration he clawed at his throat, trying to get rid of the burning fire that was slowly consuming him. Seeing that this wasn't helping he curled up and hugged his knees to his chest, whimpering as his self control was slowly wearing away. He remembered what had happened last time. Last time he had nearly drunk from Alderan, if Tom hadn't stopped him, Harry shuddered to think what would have happened. Sniffing the air he sensed the coppery metal that could only mean one thing. Glancing up he saw Tom had sliced his wrist, blood was dripping from the wound and Harry licked his lips. Unlike the other blood he had drank, Tom's smelt powerful. He could sense the magic that made Tom the most powerful dueller in the realm and it made his mouth water. His control crumbled and Harry lunged himself at Tom, drawing his last energy reserves, he latched onto the offered appendage. Tom's blood exploded into his mouth, sending shockwaves of power through his system. Sucking greedily, he felt Tom collapse onto the couch, he was moaning slightly but his eyes were trained on Harry. Flinching at the intensity of his gaze, Harry finally felt sated and pulled back, licking away the dribble of blood that leaked from the wound, watching in facination as the gash healed, only leaving behind a small pink scar.

Licking his lips, not wanting to miss a drop, Harry sat back. Taking in Tom's pallid face he felt a flutter of concern for the man. Inching closer he felt Tom's pulse, it was slow but most definitely there. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry stood up and went through to the kitchen. Like the lounge it too was neat but Harry never had time to appreciate it, instead following his senses until he found Tom's supply of blood. Grabbing a bottle he hurried back through to the lounge before pressing it to Tom's lips. Sensing the blood, Tom opened his mouth and slowly Harry helped his mentor drink it. Seeing that Tom had regained some colour, Harry checked his pulse once more, relieved to find that it had a more steady rhythm. Moving away, he saw Tom move slowly before opening his eyes and glancing at Harry. Relief flooded through Harry's system, if Tom had died because of his stupidity then Harry never thought he would be able to forgive himself. Rolling his eyes he realised Hermione was right, he did have a 'saving people' complex.

"Are you okay?" asked Tom, sitting forward and straightening his shirt. Harry almost rolled his eyes at this predictable gesture, the man almost dies and yet one of his first concerns is his appearance.

"Yes," answered Harry, if he was totally honest he felt a buzz, it was like there was electricity running through his veins, heightening his senses and, as cliche as it sounds, making him feel like he could do anything, "What about you?"

"Of course I am fine" replied Tom curtly, quickly raising his defences again, however Harry would never forget how he had looked whilst Harry had sucked his blood. Hell he couldn't close his eyes without seeing it!

"Why did you do that? Surely normal blood would have sufficed eventually" he tried and failed miserably to hide the burning curiosity in his voice.

"My blood carries an immense volume of magic thereby making my blood more powerful. Your blood is the same however to a higher degree, it was only logical to conclude that blood closer in magical strength to your own would sate you faster" answered Tom calmly, leaning back and crossing his legs.

"But, but you could have died!" exclaimed Harry, fear gripping his heart at how blasé Tom sounded at this.

"It takes far more than that to kill me Harry, at worst I would have entered a coma in which all you would have had to do was replenish my body's blood before my systems shut down due to lack of energy."

"But…" Harry could find nothing to counterargue this but it still never stopped him from protesting against it.

"No buts. Now what I wanted to discuss with you. The Dark Elven Leader Nimthîriel requests your presence at Galu Glade. It is where they conduct their blessings and Nimthîriel wishes to purify you so your affinity is not known to those who are Light. To them you shall still appear to be 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'" explained Tom.

"How will that help me? Can't Dumbledore just look into my mind and see?" asked Harry.

"No, Alderan is going to place blocks on those memories, you shall be able to remember but those who look into your mind shall merely be re-directed elsewhere. Elven magic is incredibly powerful, they are masters of aura magic. No one shall see through your disguise I can assure you."

"When shall we go?"

"Hyperion and I have to discuss this but it will be soon. Now Harry I am incredibly tired, do you mind if we leave it here for today?" asked Tom, looking closely Harry could see he was speaking the truth and, cursing himself for not noticing sooner, bade goodbye and rushed out of the room.

Hurrying out into the arena he crossed the room quickly before entering the corridor. Tom's blood was pulsing in his veins and Harry felt like he couldn't keep still. Racing through the corridors he came to his room and barrelled through the door. Sitting down on his bed he soon got up and started pacing agitatedly, his hands clasped behind his back.

He had just drank from Tom.

Sure that was a common thing as a vampyre but up until that moment he had always drank from a glass, the vampyres preferring to keep some sense of civility. This had been different. It had felt like they were one person. He could still feel Tom's pulse getting slower, hear him moan as Harry sucked away his lifeblood.

Oh god that moan.

It had been filled with want, want that Harry had placed in the man. For a moment he had seen Tom's mask properly fall. Shivering, but not from the cold, Harry began pacing again, trying to ignore the problem that these thoughts were generating. Moving over to his wardrobe he wrenched it open, fishing around until he found his pyjamas. Pulling them on he climbed into his bed, sure it was early but he didn't feel like he could face the others just yet. He could still see Tom lying there, staring at him intently as he bit back a… Damn it! Running his hands down his chest, he stopped when he got to the waistband of his pyjama bottoms realising that this wasn't going to go away. Peeling them off, he ran a finger down his erect member, biting his bottom lip to suppress the groan that was steadily clawing its way up his throat. Too aroused to feel disgusted with himself let alone be able to stand much teasing, he fisted it and started pumping slowly. Feeling himself getting closer to the edge, he thrusted eagerly into his hand to try and get more friction, images of Tom, his eyes clouded over with lust that he, Harry, had created swirling in his mind as he came. Wandlessly he cleaned away the sticky mess and rolled over onto his side, falling into a restless slumber.

Tom meanwhile was still lying the couch and, as he slept, he had a small smile on his face.

* * *

It was now a few days until Harry was going back to Hogwarts. A few months ago this idea would have been appealing but now all he felt was anxiousness bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

What if he failed?

What if everything was destroyed because of him?

Trembling slightly, he took a bite out of the baby corn that was speared on the end of his fork. Crunching the little beads of sweetcorn, he swallowed, his eyes staring intently at his plate of salad.

"You'll be fine Harry" said Luna soothingly, giving his shoulders a comforting squeeze.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" asked Harry.

"What besides the fact that you've been fixated by your plate for five minutes?" asked Lysander, smothering a grin, Harry shot him a reproachful look.

"Your aura is infused with red telling me you are anxious" answered Luna, staring over in the far corner dreamily.

"No I agree with Lysander, you were practically gnawing through your lip" said Blaise, not even attempting to hide his mirth.

"Why do you find it so amusing?" asked Harry impatiently, stabbing a tomato with a little more force than necessary.

"Their jerks, simple" replied Hannah, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips almost guiltily, making Harry think there was something he was missing.

"Ah, but we are hot jerks" said Lysander as if that made it acceptable. Rolling his eyes Harry thoughtfully bit into the tomato, swallowing the red juice quickly before toying with the skin.

"I think that might be my cue to interrupt" came a soft, almost melodic voice from the doorway. Looking up, Harry was greeted with the view of a tall, willowy man. As he crossed the room, his grace almost took Harry's breath away, a fact that was quickly picked up on by the man if the amusement swirling in his aquamarine was anything to go by. His long platinum blond hair seemed to snake around him as if it had a life of its own, shining in the light and possessing Harry with the ridiculous urge to touch it. Snapping back to reality he cleared his throat and set down his cutlery.

"Hello Hyperion, I hope you are in good health?" inquired Luna, her eyes wandering over to the elf.

"Indeed I am, Tom has asked that I take you to the Elven kingdoms" said Hyperion, addressing Harry.

"Yes, Tom did mention something to me about this however I was unaware that it was to be so soon, is he not coming too?" asked Harry, the elf's formality rubbing off on him, trying not to blush as he thought of 'coming' and 'Tom' in the same sentence, his activities from the night before still burned in his memory.

"He is already there, Nimthîriel required his help setting up" answered Hyperion, his melodic voice was almost hypnotic, the way that is caressed Harry's ears. Standing up, Harry left the remains of his salad and said goodbye to his friends. Walking out the door he swore he heard Lysander and Blaise snicker and vowed that when he got back he would suggest some 'quality' time in the arena.

"Why do they need his help?" asked Harry, as they walked to the front entrance - well Harry walked and Hyperion almost glided making Harry feel about as graceful as a three legged elephant.

"He is your mentor they need him to guide you through it" Hyperion's voice was as lovely as ever but Harry detected a hint of amusement towards the end, "Now I believe you know how to Phase?"

"Yes."

"Excellent, then I shall see you there" said Hyperion, a dark glow seemed to spread over the elf's skin, encasing him before he vanished silently into the night.

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**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I decided to give myself some time off studying and write this chapter. To be honest I have no idea where half of this stuff came from, I had certainly not planned for Harry to drink Tom's blood or Hyperion coming back into it so I'm going to have to revise a few things...**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: The Midnight Realm is made up of a lot more than the castle and there are kingdoms or clans of other Dark creatures - Dark elves, werewolves etc. The only reason all of Harry's friends are in the castle and not with their people is because Alderan prefers to keep them there as it is the safest place for them, and also it allows for bonding between them. I'll try and fit this in in the next chapter or so but just in case I don't then there it is. If you have any questions then just PM me or review.**

**Oh yeah about the citrus, lime whatever it is called, I'm trying to branch out of my comfort zone so if it isn't well done or just plain awful tips would be appreciated :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

**Please Review :)**


	12. Chapter 11: Realisation

_"It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all."  
~Emmet Fox_

* * *

The trees were alive, pulsing with the drums that resounded through the clearing, the beat was hypnotic and Harry found himself transfixed by the music. The clearing was lit up, literally sparkling and Harry noticed a small pool of water surrounded by white candles, one for each of the four quarters of the Earth. Apart from that there were just a couple of elves, one was beating the drum whilst the another drew a circle around the outside of the candles chanting softly.

"Harry, Nimthîriel wishes you to wear this" said Hyperion, coming up behind him with a white robe in his arms.

"Where do I change?" asked Harry, taking the robes from the elf.

"You may go into the tree line, however I must ask that you do not stray" chuckled Hyperion, amusement ringing in his voice.

Blushing, Harry melted into the forest, becoming one with the tree line. Making sure he was concealed from view, he pulled off his robes and donned the garment he had been gifted. The material felt like water against his skin, although there was a warmth weaved into the white strands that comforted him slightly. Straightening himself up, he wished he could see himself, it would be just his luck to somehow offend the elves with his appearance.

"You look fine Harry" came Tom's voice. Turning, Harry saw him emerge from the dense forest, his arms were full of wild daisies, they seemed to sparkled even though the moon's rays couldn't breach the canopy above their heads, leaving them in darkness.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" asked Harry, glad that the darkness meant Tom couldn't see the blush spreading over his cheeks.

"My heightened legillimency skill means I do not need any eye contact with people in order to read their minds. Although I normally tune it out, it gets rather irritating hearing the insignificant thoughts of the Death Eaters after a while" answered Tom, grimacing slightly. Vaguely Harry was aware that he had been told something like this before, however his thoughts were mainly dwelling over the fact that Tom could have potentially heard everything he had thought around him. Mortified, Harry's mind reminded him that Tom said he normally tunes thoughts out. Slowly Harry's embarrassment faded as he convinced himself that his mentor never had any idea about his growing attachment to him. It wasn't as if he thought about it often and so the risk of Tom having heard then was reduced slightly. Internally he sighed in relief, his face however had remained calm despite the calamity of his mind and he walked with Tom out to the clearing.

The elf had finished the circle and was chatting with Hyperion, the drumming still continued however and lulled Harry into a peaceful mindset. It seemed as if all his troubles were being carried away on the notes, disappearing and leaving only goodness behind. Approaching Hyperion, the other elf turned to him and Harry's breath was taken away. Her thick, flame-like hair shimmered and contrasting with her pale face made her seem unearthly. She smiled at him and there was such gentleness in her honey coloured eyes that Harry felt a sudden warmth to her. She wore a white muslin dress that reached down to her feet, it was figure hugging and the sleeves flared past the elbows making her seem regal and sophisticated, making Harry hold himself straigher.

"Harry, this is Nimthîriel, she will talk us through the ritual and invoke the goddess" explained Tom.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Harry, there has been much talk about you in our Kingdoms and it is an honour to finally see you in person" her voice, like Hyperion's, almost caressed his ears however she sounded wise and Harry could tell that she had seen a lot in her lifetime, be that good or bad her voice gave him no indication.

"The honour is mine, however if you do not object to my asking, why is Tom taking me through the ritual?" Harry bowed slightly in respect, his question hanging in the air between them.

"Alderan has informed me that he is your mentor, as your mentor he shall be more in tuned to your aura than we are. We may see them, however seeing and feeling are two different things entirely" answered Nimthîriel.

"Thank you" replied Harry, tilting his head to show his gratitude.

"It is quite alright childe, now Tom, please scatter the daisies into the pool, Hyperion you may stay but please do not enter the circle. It is for Harry and Tom alone."

After this, Hyperion bowed to her and removed himself to the forest edge, close enough to get an idea of what was happening but not hear or see everything. Harry watched as Nimthîriel entered the circle after Tom had scattered the daisies and moved to Harry's side. She moved so gracefully that Harry's breath caught in his throat, gliding along the ground as if she were a ghost. The drum beat increased, the faster tempo speeding up Harry's heart and creating a thrill in the air that was almost palpable.

"Guardian of the North, I call upon thee to provide us with your presence this passing night. Purity is important in life. Nature is innocence in its purest form, providing us with life and means with which to nurture that life. I ask that you watch over these two vampyres, and help them through this ritual, washing away the deeds of the past and creating a blank page on which those of the future may be written" Nimthîriel voice radiated with power, she seemed to dance slightly, as if she couldn't keep still and it was like the music held her in a trance. From her fingertips fire streamed out, lighting the Northern candle, its flame rising high and Harry felt the trees shake slightly as Earth joined them.

"Protector from the East, I call upon thee to blow away the blemishes on past times. Erode the view of darkness in this child's aura and replace it with that of the light, although the heart remains the same. Purify the pain that lingers in his soul and remove the wounds of old" now she lit the Eastern candle, the yellow flame flickering a little as a small breeze blew through the clearing.

"Watcher of the South, I call upon thee to provide warmth in this childe. Use your knowledge to guide him on the quest laid out before him. His path shall be a hard one but with you to light the way he may stumble but he shall not fall. Burn away the darkness from him but retain what is in his heart, masks can be deceiving but in war measures such measures must be taken" Nimthîriel lit the Southern candle and the flame rose, exuding violently out of the candle before settling back down.

"And lastly but certainly not lease, West, I call upon thee to wash away the anger in this childe. Purify him so that he feels content and watch over him as if he were your own. Water can erode even the most stubborn rocks and so I ask of you to use your power to remove the darkness from this child's aura, restore his innocence and mask his true affinity so that he may restore the balance to what it once was equal" the Western candle was lit and Harry saw the pool ripple indicating Water's presence. There was magic in the air, however not the same as his or Tom's. No, this was old magic, magic as ancient as time itself and Harry could almost see wizened mages invoking the elements and chanting softly. Suddenly Harry was nervous, Nimthîriel speech had instilled confidence in him, but, now that it was over, he felt his stomach cramp at the sudden onslaught of anxiety, it was as if the High Elf's words had been a damn but once gone the nerves flooded through, engulfing him.

"Let go of your nervousness, try to relax. Without relaxation the ritual cannot be completed" whispered Tom, his breath ghosting over the back of Harry's neck. Shuddering slightly, Harry willed himself to calm down, he had been through worse than this after all.

"Harry, Tom come over" called Nimthîriel, her voice floating over to them across the clearing, sharp and clear.

Walking to the pool, Harry stepped into the circle. Immediately the elements seemed to lap at him gently, soothing his fears and he felt his muscles unwind slightly. Sighing, he looked at Nimthîriel who had stepped out of the circle.

"Harry, I want you to step into the pool. No, take off the robe first," she added when Harry made to enter fully clothed, "Tom remember the oil and if you have any questions ask the elements. These rituals aren't meant to be crowded and so Hyperion, Lucia and I shall take our leave. Once you are done, leave the clearing the way it is, I shall return later to release the elements."

Watching her walk over to Hyperion, Lucia joined them quickly - the drum clasped in her hand - before they dissolved in a beam of light. He was reluctant to undress in front of Tom, it was embarrassing and he still had memories from the previous night burned into his skull.

"Harry, there is no need to be embarrassed, I too have been through this ritual" assured Tom.

"Who was your mentor?" asked Harry, still not undressing.

"Alderan" chuckled Tom, his eyes hinting for a moment the embarrassment from his youth.

"That makes me feel slightly better" said Harry, smiling at his mentor. Pulling off the garment he slid into the pool, his eyes firmly trained on the ground. He heard Tom chuckle again at his charge's awkwardness, but this soon melted away as he truly focused on the water. It was warm but not unpleasantly so, the slight rippling relaxed him fully and he stretched out, sighing as he rested his head on the moss that marked the edge of the waterline. Feeling hands at his shoulders, he jumped slightly before he realised Tom was rubbing some sort of oil on his back. It smelt of daisies, the smell of the petals floating in the pool adding to its intensity.

"What is that for?" asked Harry, fending off the fog that was seeping into his mind, obscuring all else.

"Daisies are a symbol of purity, they are meant to cleanse you and mask your true aura" explained Tom, kneading a particularly tense spot. Moaning, Harry leaned back into his hands, losing his battle with the fog entirely and just enjoying the lulling water and Tom's hands. His mind was blank, too relaxed to think even the most mundane thoughts. When Tom's hands were removed Harry restrained the urge to whimper, until he saw Tom's clothes were in a heap next to his robe and the man was sliding in beside him. He looked glorious in the moonlight, casting shadows over him and making his seem almost ghostly. Raising his hand, Harry examined the appendage and saw that he too seemed like a spirit. It was unearthly, and scanning the sky, Harry could see the stars twinkling in the heavens, swirling above them in an eternal celestial dance as they watched the scene below, always watching but never interfering. Wind rustled the trees around them, and it seemed to get hotter as Tom massaged more of the oil into Harry's skin, roaming up his arms before moving onto his chest. Harry's knees weakened as Tom brushed a particularly sensitive spot, leaning heavily on the side to keep himself upright. Looking directly into Tom's eyes he saw the usually hard sapphires had melted, making his expression softer and more gentle. Lust lingered behind the clouded orbs, peeking out once and again from the mask, especially when Tom brushed a sensitive nerve.

_'He knows'_ thought Harry, an unexplainable thrill running through him at this idea.

Almost as if he was in a trance, he moved closer to Tom, creating small waves that lapped against the older vampyres chest. Running his fingertips down his face, Harry marvelled at how smooth his skin was, feeling Tom relax slightly, unconsciously calmed by this and Harry gained a little more confidence. Leaning in closer, Harry allowed his lips to brush Tom's, lingering slightly before withdrawing. As his eyes fluttered open the trance was broken, the spell had ended and Harry felt mortification coil in his stomach.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't-" started Harry. Tom placed a finger on his lips shushing him. Harry feet had turned to stone, as Tom moved closer to him he found that they couldn't and wouldn't move. His horror at his previous act crumbled as Tom kissed him softly. Melting against him, Harry wound his fingers in Tom's hair, anchoring them together. Tugging slightly at the black strands, Tom moaned and Harry took this opportunity to deepen the kiss, feeling Tom's arms wrap around him as he did. They moved as one, gentle as ones first kiss should be, getting to know the feel of one another as the moon rose higher in the sky, sitting on her throne and surrounded by her celestial children, gazing at the display down below. Pulling apart the two panted slightly, their lips slightly swollen. It felt as if a bond had been created between them and Harry felt his heart expand slightly as Tom looked at him, his features trying to retain their impassiveness but, underneath the shaky composure, Harry could see that Tom was as baffled as he was. Finishing the massage, they never spoke, too wrapped up in their thoughts to pay much attention to the present. Both knew something had changed between them tonight, however some discussions are best left for later and, finishing up, they left in silence leaving the clearing behind them but not the events that had transpired.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys thanks for the feedback. My exams are finally finished (for the moment) and so I have my FF hours back :D I have to say this is my favourite chapter so far, I really enjoyed writing this one and I think it flows quite well as parts just seemed to write themselves - feel free to correct me on that, it is only my opinion. The ritual is a modified version of a Wiccan purifying ritual, I tweaked it a little but the basic elements are the same (circle, candles inviting elements, bathing and the oil - although the oil was done after they were out of the pool - followed by meditation and deep breathing, so really the only thing I missed out was the last two parts). It was really fascinating researching this and my dad helped loads. I hope you liked Nimthîriel, she might come back later but this will probably be her main appearance, it was fun writing her :)  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes present in this chapter, it hasn't been beta'd so there might be more than usual.**

**Please review!**


	13. Chapter 12: Surrender

_"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."_  
_~Lao Tzu_

* * *

Harry never knew what to make of it. Ever since the 'incident' Tom had been distant, their lessons continuing as normal however lacking the closeness and, dare he say it, camaraderie they had had before. He had thought that they were going to talk about what had happened, work things out and maybe, just maybe, go further. The electricity between them had startled him at first but now he found that he craved it. He had guessed that this came from the fact that he had never felt this intensely about anyone before, his crush on Cho seemed almost juvenile compared to this. His heart still sped up just thinking about the way Tom had looked at him, for once the normally stoic man had been unmasked, his barriers had fell and, as clichéd as it sounded, the sight had been breathtaking. He knew that Tom Riddle was meant to have been attractive whilst he had been at Hogwarts but, until that moment, it had been hard to associate the young man with the strict mentor. Gazing out at the darkened courtyard he shivered slightly as the aged window let in the cold wind that battered the castle walls. He was meant to go to a lesson with Tom now, in fact, judging by the darkened sky, he was now late. He knew that Tom would be angry with him but after days of avoiding the matter he was tired of it, he was going back to Hogwarts the next day anyway and what was one missed lesson?

"Harry?" came Lysander's voice.

"What?" asked Harry, turning his back on the frosted window and looking at his friend.

"I was just wondering what you were doing, shouldn't you be at your lesson?" asked Lysander, his blue eyes unnaturally serious.

"I decided to skip" shrugged off Harry, moving along as Lysander made to sit next to him.

"You know he cares about you" said Lysander gently.

"Who?" asked Harry, feigning ignorance, it appeared he hadn't done a good enough impresison as Lysander's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You know who I'm talking about and I can tell you he cares about you deeply as you do him, you are both just too stubborn to approach the matter!"

"What makes you suspect this?"

"I don't suspect, I know. My gift is seeing the connections people have to each other. It is almost like threads exuding from the person, the colour indicating the strength of the relationship."

"I guess that explains why every time Tom was mentioned around me you would crack up" sighed Harry.

"Well it was funny watching you dance around each other, however I suspect Alderan has been trying to get you together for some time, there was no way Tom could have orchestrated the incidents that got you closer together," the amused glint had entered Lysander's eyes again, "Also I felt like I owed you since you technically got me into Hogwarts which is why I'm telling you all this, normally I just like to watch people squirm. I still wonder what Tom said to my parents to make them relent" chuckled the blonde.

Harry would never forget how happy Lysander had been when he bounded up to him holding his acceptance letter. Blaise too looked a little overwhelmed and Harry had been glad that he could help them out, also the number of times he caught them in compromising positions dwindled dramatically and so saved him the trouble of pouring bleach into his eyes.

"It was no problem, but I don't really understand why you are telling me this?"

"Really, for the achievements you have made you are rather oblivious. What I'm trying to tell you is go for it no matter how much it will scar me in the future" said Lysander, pretending to shudder.

"Maybe I will copy you and Blaise and see how you like walking in on someone" threatened Harry, a grin playing at the corner of his lips. Lysander's face blanched and Harry couldn't suppress the laugh he felt bubbling up inside his chest.

"Oh shut up, if you ever do that I swear I will have my revenge," Lysander threatened back and, for a moment Harry thought that he was serious, "Just go before I wish I hadn't said anything."

Still chuckling slightly, Harry got up from the alcove, leaving behind his friend as he headed for the arena. As much as Lysander could annoy him at times, the man really did have knack for telling him exactly what he needed. Leaning his head on the cool wood of the door he couldn't help but wonder if he was really going to do this. What would Ron and Hermione think of him trying to seduce the Dark Lord? No, they could choose their sides, he would tell them as much as they needed to know and then it was up to them. A part of him felt sad at this but he felt by far closer to Lysander and Blaise, heck even Luna, Hannah and Zach than he did to his two best friends at the moment, of course it would probably tip the balance when he saw them again but right now he couldn't care less, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Steeling his resolve he opened the door and entered the arena.

Tom was in the middle of the arena, his hands holding onto a sword of some sort. Harry could hear the blade swishing through the air as Tom whirled about the room, his feet moving so quickly that Harry could barely see them despite his heightened senses. It, like the duelling, seemed almost like a dance, the way he leapt and meandered around the arena, as if along to some music that only he could hear and make sense of. Mesmerised Harry closed the door but moved no closer. He knew that Tom knew he was there, and he never wanted to distract the man when he was wielding a weapon that looked that lethal. Seeing Tom start to slow down, Harry's thoughts came back into focus.

"Why did you miss your lesson?" asked Tom, walking over to the side where Harry saw the sheath for the sword lay.

"Why have you been ignoring what happened?" asked Harry, his voice full of confidence as it rang through the chilly room.

"I have not been ignoring it, I have merely been focusing on other matters" answered Tom, straightening the wrinkles his practice had created in his shirt.

"We need to talk" said Harry bluntly.

"I agree" replied Tom, not bothering to expand anymore. Taking a deep breath Harry, mustered up whatever confidence Lysander's words had gave him, quickly realising that he would have to go first.

"I care about you a lot and I am interested in exploring further what happened at the ritual, that is if you want to?" Harry's voice wavered at the end.

Tom looked at him carefully, his blue eyes were smouldering and emotions flicked through them so rapidly that it was making Harry dizzy. He seemed to be having an inner battle with himself, the way this fists were clenched at his side was the only indication of the turmoil the older man was feeling. Apparently making up his mind he strode over to Harry, his walk as confident as ever. Seeing he wasn't going to stop Harry found himself pushed up against the wall, the cushioned surface preventing this from being uncomfortable.

Tom was right in front of him now, pressing against him, his breath ghosting over Harry's face and Harry suppressed a shudder of desire. Tom appeared to notice this however and, smirking he cupped Harry's face, drawing it to his own. The kiss wasn't gentle like last time, not by far. Tom grasped a fist of Harry's hair, pulling his head back while lips and teeth clashed in constant battle, and Harry couldn't suppress a moan escaping from his otherwise occupied mouth. Taking this to his advantage, Tom slipped his tongue in, gently massaging Harry's which stood in sharp contrast to how aggressive he'd been moments prior. The hand in his hair slid to his neck, holding it in a firm, but gentle grip. Their magic swirled around the room and just as it was the first time Harry felt wave after wave of pleasure assault him, making his nerves tingle and long for more.

Trembling, he reached up, swallowing nervously as he felt Tom's hard chest beneath the fabric. Glancing up to Tom's face, he saw desire swirl in the depths of blue eyes, and he continued his exploration, sliding his hands up and down, before finally unbuttoning Tom's crisp white shirt, exposing the pale expanse of toned muscle that were the rewards of their strenuous training sessions. Pulling back Tom surveyed him, an amused expression dancing in his eyes as he looked at Harry's form. Harry was sure that he looked like a complete moron, panting heavily with a blush adorning his cheeks but he couldn't bring himself to care. Running his hands up and down Tom's chest again, loving the feeling of the smooth surface, he felt the man shudder before he retaliated, latching onto Harry's neck, nibbling and sucking the sensitive skin. Arching into the touch, Harry tangled his fingers in Tom's hair, gasping as his neck was assaulted. Arms came around him, and Harry hooked one of his legs around Tom's, drawing them even closer. He bit Tom's shoulder trying to suppress a loud moan, every touch seemed to spread a barrage of sensation through him making him almost come undone right there, he could already feel how hard he was from just these simple ministrations. Tom, having reached Harry's shirt, muttered something and immediately Harry was standing there clad in only his boxers. Yelping slightly with the sudden cold he felt Tom snicker as he made his way down his chest with his mouth, his tongue sensually traced patterns on it. Reaching his nipples Harry gasped as Tom latched onto one, rolling it between his teeth before biting down while his tongue lapped at the perched bud. Moaning , Harry didn't know how much more he could take. It was too much for his sensitive nerves. Almost as if sensing this, hands snaked down and pulled down his boxers, with which Harry eagerly helped. Thin, long fingers wrapped around his weeping member and Harry lost all higher brain function. Thrusting wildly he shuddered and his knees buckled as the fire in his belly became hotter. Tom released it, drawing a desperate whine from Harry's lips, and, lost in desire, he grinded against Tom's body, feeling the bulge in the man's trousers twitch in response.

Searching for more friction, he backed against the wall again, and pulled Tom with him, frantically bucking his hips against Tom. He gasped when slender fingers kneaded his ass, and then slid down, feeling his balls. Not able to hold himself any longer, Harry came all over himself and Tom. Panting, he pulled himself up, leaning heavily against the wall. Tom was standing there looking as calm as ever whilst he probably looked like a trembling wreck. A little embarrassed his eyes were soon drawn to the bulge in the front of Tom's trousers.

"I've helped you so its only courteous to return the favour" said Tom, quirking an eyebrow when following the direction of Harry's eyes, a slight smirk on his lips. Gulping, Harry walked over to Tom and, reaching down, undid his belt before pulling the trousers down. It appeared that Tom never felt the need to wear underwear and his member sprung out proudly, the head already leaking pre-come. Running his hands down Tom's chest he knelt down unsure of what to do, and unable to tear his gaze away from the man's erection. Following his Gryffindor instinct, he poked out his tongue and lapped at the head. The pre-cum tasted salty, but hearing Tom gasp it was well worth the unpleasant taste. Enveloping him, Harry gagged a little and ran his hands up and down the base where he knew that there was no hope of him reaching without choking himself. Bobbing his head up and down the shaft he heard Tom moan a little. Moving his eyes upwards he saw that Tom's eyes were closed and a delicate flush had spread across his cheeks. Other than that however, Tom looked as he always did and Harry marvelled at his control, even though his breathing was slightly more ragged than usually. Sucking slightly, Harry felt Tom's fingers entwine in his hair, making him moan as they combed his scalp. Slowly Tom began to thrust gently into his mouth, the vibrations from Harry's moaning becoming too much for even his abnormal level of control. Looking up once more Harry saw that his mentors eyes were now open, veiled by a layer of undisguised lust, he was panting slightly and Harry could tell that he was getting closer to the edge with every thrust. Sucking hard, he hollowed his mouth and was rewarded when Tom came and, swallowing the bitter concoction, Harry glanced up. Tom looked as if all the weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, his features were relaxed and his barriers crumbled to dust giving him an unguarded look that filled Harry with warmth. Tom suited this expression and the fact that he had placed it on the otherwise impassive features made Harry feel a sliver of pride.

Feeling Tom slide down the wall next to him, Harry leaned into the man, nestling into his shoulder with a contented sigh. He felt exhausted and his jaw was sore but it was a good kind of pain, he had gotten it pleasing Tom and that alone made it worth it.

"Are you okay?" Tom's question broke through Harry's bliss filled bubble, bring him back to reality.

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry if I was a little forward before" mumbled Harry, blushing slightly at his audacity.

"No, I'm sorry. I am… unaccustomed to these situations and Alderan's interference was making it much harder to ignore than normal. I'm sure you noticed how he kept trying to put us together and I believe my annoyance at this affected you before we went to Diagon Alley and for that I apologise. However it appears it was in vain, in response to your earlier question I was merely ignoring this attraction because I needed time to process what was happening before I acted upon it."

"I will never understand how your mind works." sighed Harry, running his fingers through his hair. He honestly thought that the man was far too logical than was good for him, it seemed almost alien to him as he had always blundered his way through things, often relying on luck far too often.

"If you want I can show you" said Tom after a pause.

"How would that work?" asked Harry, curiosity lacing his words. It would be truly fascinating to see the other man's mind but he wasn't a legillimens and that was the only way he was familiar with.

"Once a connection is established it can act as a link to both the reader and the subject's minds, the subject just has to cross this bridge to the reader's mind" answered Tom simply.

"You would really allow me to see into your mind?" asked Harry, he had always imagined Tom to be as paranoid as Voldemort, this all went against the image he had constructed of the man.

"Yes, I want you to know me and there are some things that words cannot convey and so other methods are more effective."

"I always thought you were too paranoid to allow yourself to be that vulnerable" said Harry, voicing his previous thought.

"For some time I was, that is I am with those that I do not know as well as I know you. Over the years I have became knowledgeable of the inner workings of your mind and it is unfair for you not to hold the same knowledge about me. Even though you have only had a couple of months to get to know me, I have watched you since you were a child and I can honestly say I trust you with this information" Tom appeared so earnest that Harry couldn't help but believe him and so he uttered the words his mind was screaming at him to say-

"What do I have to do?"

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback, I wasn't very confident with the last chapter and so it is nice to know you enjoyed it :)**

**I really don't know what it is about this story but I hadn't planned for Tom to allow Harry access into his mind either (before anyone says the Tom Riddle from the cannon wouldn't allow this, my Tom - referring to him like that is weird - isn't based totally on him, there are aspects of his personality that will most definitely be different due to the changes I have made) however I am beginning to think this story has a mind of its own! I hope this chapter made sense and a huge thank you to Elfinmyth who helped me with the lemon, without her help I shudder to think what it would have been.**

**Oh and before I forget, about Lysander, I couldn't fit in a scene where Harry asked Tom if he could go to Hogwarts after he had the initial thought but just imagine that that conversation took place the day after the ritual. Anyway I hope you liked it :)  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter, it hasn't been beta'd and so there will probably be more than usual.**

**Please Review!**


	14. Chapter 13: Memories

_"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."_  
_~Buddha_

* * *

_'italics' = memory_

* * *

Standing up, Tom straightened up his clothes before pulling his wand out of his thigh holster. Waving it, Harry saw his clothes appear beside him and hurriedly pulled them on, feeling strange that Tom was fully clothed and he was only in his boxers. Tom meanwhile was transfiguring a few stones, two became two cushions whilst the other a candle. He set the candle in between the two cushions before sitting down on one. Harry followed his example, crossing his legs feeling remarkably like a Buddhist monk. With one whispered word the wick ignited and Harry watched, fascinated by the rippling colours contained within the bright orange, squinting he could see golden yellows existing in harmony with fiery red before combining fluidly to form the amber that most people see. The candle itself was unremarkable - stubby and white - but the processes it contained were truly breathtaking. Harry observed the colours for a while before lifting his head and seeing Tom stare at him with such an intensity he almost flinched.

"I forget that you are so new to this, sometimes you seem older, wiser. Whereas other times you hold the child-like surprise of someone who has newly ventured into this realm" Tom's voice sounded gentler than normal, gone was the impassiveness and for the first time Harry fully saw the man beneath the mask, not just snippets gleaned from close observance. Smiling he fixed his eyes back on the candle, feeling Tom's gaze on him, this however did not make him uncomfortable as it once would have, oddly he felt at peace, the candle helping to ease his anxiety.

He was going to delve into Tom's mind.

Even now in his relax state he couldn't think this without a hint in incredulousness. It seemed surreal, he knew that the Voldemort he knew wasn't the man before him, their earlier actions had proved that much but this, this was beyond anything he had ever expected from the man. He guessed it was just another way Dumbledore had of turning him against Voldemort, dehumanising the enemy made him so much easier to hate without question. Automatically the thought of Dumbledore made him tense up, anger bubbling through him at the thought of his old mentor.

"Are you relaxed?" asked Tom.

"Yes" replied Harry, trying to calm himself down.

"Don't try and lie to me Harry" sighed Tom, "Focus on the candle, slowly relax your muscles one by one. As you relax imagine that all the negative energy is flowing out of you and being absorbed by the candle," doing as he was asked, Harry sighed as all the tension left his body, "Good, now imagine all the positive energy enveloping you, entering through your pores and filling you up. Open your eyes."

Feeling a lot more relaxed, Harry opened his eyes and was swallowed by Tom's blue orbs. He felt lost for a moment, caught up in the tide of emotion before Tom's voice brought him to the surface.

"Look me in the eyes and imagine two doors, one white and one black. I want you to go through the black door" Harry was confused for a moment as he realised Tom's lips weren't moving, then it dawned on him that Tom was in his mind. Slowly his view of the room faded, only to be replaced by darkness, through the darkness he saw the outline of two doors, one black and one white. Moving over to the black one, Harry grasped the handle and twisted the knob, pulling the door open.

"Step through Harry."

Stepping through Harry saw scenes flashing before his eyes before finally one stayed where it was.  
_

* * *

Harry found himself in a room, it was cramped and the window was covered in black fabric so Harry couldn't tell if it was day or night. There was a shelf in the corner filled with a few knick-naks, Harry was sure he spotted a broken pennywhistle and bracelet amongst the items. Sitting on the bed was a teenage Tom Riddle, he looked younger than he did now, his hair was short and his eyes unnaturally cold for someone so young. He seemed to be playing with a yoyo, and Harry was mesmerised by the ball moving up and down the string. It carried on like this for a few minutes, the only sound the slap as the yoyo met Tom's hand. Seeing a black mist seep in through the closed window, Harry turned his attention to it, the young Tom too seemed to notice and stopped what he was doing. As the mist solidified Harry saw Alderan standing there. The ancient never looked any different than he did now, his black hair was tied back and his face smiling, the grandfatherly expression not belonging on such a youthful face._

_"I was wondering when you would come" said Tom, his attention now back on the yoyo._

_"By this should I assume you know what is happening to you?" asked Alderan, taking a seat on the end of Tom's bed._

_"I did some research before I left Hogwarts, I'm turning into a vampyre aren't I?" It was phrased as a question but Harry could hear the confidence behind the words._

_"Indeed you are. My name is Alderan, I am Lord of the Midnight Realm… a coalition of Dark creatures if you like. I am here to take you to the Castle of the Night. There you shall receive everything you need to help you with your transformation and after that I will train you personally in our ways."_

_"Why?" asked Tom harshly._

_"Why what?" Alderan seemed genuinely puzzled._

_"Why would you do that for me?" asked Tom, his voice still hard._

_"Because it is the duty that was placed on me when I became a Lord and it has been foretold that you will help us in our struggle against the Light" replied Alderan calmly._

_"Why should I believe you?"_

_"You already believe me, I can already feel your presence in my mind analysing everything I am saying. You are smarter than this dear boy, come with me I will answer all your questions in good time but if you don't complete the transformation soon then you will die."_

_"What about my things?" asked Tom, gone was the coldness and Harry could see the frightened little boy beneath the hard exterior._

_"We can take them with us, there is no need for you to return here" said Alderan, looking around the small room._

* * *

The scene dissolved and Harry found himself encased in darkness, it lapped at him, tendrils of it caressing his skin and dragging him down into another memory.  
_

* * *

They were on a hillside, the wind rustled through Harry's hair as he scanned the skyline. Dark clouds were gathered ominously on the horizon moving steadily closer. He could see a town down below, an old house stood out amongst them, surrounded by a graveyard and, with a start, Harry realised that it was Little Hangleton. Looking down, Harry saw Tom kneeling in the grass, his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Dumbledore stood beside him, his hand on he young man's shoulder._

_"Tom let me help you" said Dumbledore, surveying the young man before him with worry._

_"Help me?" sneered Tom, "You would rather see me destroyed."_

_"That isn't true and you know it" retorted Dumbledore._

_"You knew, you knew he never wanted me and still you let me find out, you let me go in there and now they are dead. Are you happy old man?" Tom's words were filled with venom but Harry could hear the deep sadness beneath them._

_"No, I am not happy. I had though seeing them would have helped you regain your humanity but it appears I was mistaken" sighed Dumbledore, stepping back._

_"Humanity! I lost that a long time ago" laughed Tom, the laugh was chilling and struck Harry to the core._

_"Will you ever change your ways?" asked Dumbledore wearily._

_"You set me on this path when you made me go to the orphanage. You know I don't like it there and still you send me back year after year. I'm sure there are couples that would be honoured to have a child genius in the family but apparently I'm not deserving of that. As far as I am concerned it is because of you I am the way I am" said Tom bitterly._

_"I'm sorry" said Dumbledore, disapointment lacing the words, before apparating away the sharp crack quickly being carried away by the wind._

_"That was foolish Tom" came Alderan's voice, turning, Harry saw the vampyre stride towards them, his face was stern but his eyes were filled with warmth as he surveyed his protégé._

_"He already knew, there was no point in lying" said Tom, his voice full of self loathing._

_"I have already contacted the Elves, they have agreed to do the purification ritual, Dumbledore may know your allegiance but without solid proof no one will believe him."_

_"You knew this would happen" said Tom quietly._

_"Yes."_

_"Why didn't you stop me?"_

_"Because there are some things one has to do to be able to move on" replied Alderan quietly._

_"Thank you" came Tom's broken reply, so soft that Harry wouldn't have been able to hear it if his senses had not been heightened._

* * *

Once again Harry was plunged into darkness as the memory ended, disintegrating and scattering into the blackness, the particles shining like glitter in the otherwise desolate place. Feeling the familiar pull, Harry followed it once again, feeling himself fade as he entered another memory.  
_

* * *

He was standing in Alderan's meeting room. The man in question was standing on the platform, his eyes for once not filled with merriment but with weariness. This alone managed to transform his posture and Harry could see the ancient leader underneath the youthful face. The door opened and Alderan glanced around expectantly, watching as Tom entered, his mentor walking smoothly across the room until he was in front of their Lord. Tom bowed deeply and Alderan smiled, albeit without the usual warmth Harry had come to expect from the man._

_"You wished to see me?" asked Tom, evidently wondering why he was there._

_"Yes, Pythia gave a prophecy, she said that the childe born at the end of July would aid us in our fight. This childe has been born but another prophecy too was made, this one by Sybil Trelawney, the new Divination professor at Hogwarts. Trelawney said that this childe would vanquish the Dark Lord and that neither can live whilst the other survives. She also said that he has a power the Dark Lord knows not. At first these seem to contrast with each other, however I believe there is a way around them. For this to work I need you to test this childe, challenge him to become the leader we need. I do not care how you do it just do not kill him in the process. Also he cannot be detected, if the Light get a hold of him they will mould him into a weapon against us, if this happens then we will be destroyed, Miranda is making the containing potion but I require your magic to bind his own, at least until he reaches magical maturity. To do this you must visit his residence on Samhein, this is when your magic shall be at its strongest and perform the ritual there. Can you do this?" finished Alderan, his voice emotionless as he sealed Harry's fate. This was another side of their leader he had not seen, this Alderan was more business-like, he seemed to exude power and Harry would have been surprised if Tom would have disobeyed._

_"Of course, consider it done" replied Tom, bowing again before exiting the room._

* * *

Tom could feel that Harry was tiring, he too was slowly losing energy as more and more of his memories flashed by. He could feel every emotion that Harry displayed but so far there had only been sympathy and understanding mingled with the occasional sense of shock. It warmed Tom's heart a little, melting the frost that had accumulated around it over the years. He had expected Harry to be horrified, disgusted by his behaviour, not understanding in any way. Slowly he severed the link, watching as Harry slumped, completely drained, both emotionally and physically. Blowing out the candle, Tom gazed as the smoke curled in the air before dissipating leaving only the burnt smell behind.

Standing up, Tom stretched and rubbed his eyes, forcing himself to stay awake. Moving around to Harry, he gently lifted the young man up, careful not to jostle him as he slept on. Vanishing the candle and the cushions, Tom walked to his chambers, opening the door quietly with his wandless magic. Moving into his bedroom, he pulled back the sheets and slid Harry into his bed, his lover moaning a little at the loss of contact. Changing into his pyjamas, Tom climbed in after him, smiling when Harry snuggled up to him. Holding the young man, Tom let the blackness claim him, feeling contentment sweep through him for the first time since he could remember.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I know that this chapter is short but its purpose is getting to know Tom better and there were only three key memories I wanted to show, the last one ties in with the first chapter so I hope that the first chapter will make more sense now. As for the other memories, if you have any question feel free to PM me and I will do my best to answer them.  
**

**To readers of Aurora I want you to know I haven't given up on the fic, I know exactly where it is going but the words aren't coming to me, that said I will try and update in a week or so.**

**What house should Lysander be in: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin? I find myself favouring Hufflepuff for some reason, I think its just because I can picture the others slagging him about it which would be rather amusing xD Anyway I haven't made up my mind yet so tell me what one you think would be best :)**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter, I wanted to get it out as soon as possible and so it hasn't been beta'd.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Please Review!**


	15. Chapter 14: Departure

_'All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves.'_  
_~Amelia Barr_

* * *

Opening his eyes, Harry yawned loudly before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He felt oddly relaxed, as if all the stress had been removed from his body in one go. To his sleepy mind the bed felt as soft as butter, and he stretched languidly between the sheets, hearing a few cracks and pops as his muscles awoke. Looking around he snapped back into awareness as he fully saw the room for the first time.

He had been here before.

Wracking his brain he tried to remember where he recognised the room from. The pale blue walls seemed cool and refreshing, only enhanced by the soft white curtains that were billowing slightly. A bookcase lay in the corner, overflowing with the volume of tomes it contained, some had even been placed on the top of it and they too looked as if they would topple at the slightest touch.

Then it hit him.

Only one person would have that many books that he knew. If he was right however then he was missing some of the events from the previous night. Straining his mind he blushed recalling some of them, unable to believe that he had been so forward with Tom but others puzzled him. He remembered entering Tom's mind, three memories were distinct but after that everything went blank. Somehow after that he had ended up in Tom's bed.

"Are you okay?" Tom's voice pierced his bubble of thought, bringing him back to reality.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? I was worried that you slept so long, your brain needed time to process the information but I hadn't thought it would be this long. Do you have any questions?" asked Tom, sitting on the edge of the bed. He was wearing a black dressing gown and Harry could see that the man was still in his pyjamas.

"There was one of your memories that I never understood, could you possibly explain the one with you and your parents?" asked Harry, sitting up and running a hand through his already dishevelled hair.

"Dumbledore said that if I found my father he would accept me back. However that, as I am sure you imagine, was a ruse. For all my years at Hogwarts Dumbledore was always trying to turn people against me, he thought that if I killed my father then the others would see how Dark I truly was and expel me and thereby leaving me with nothing. There is no such act that can blacken a person's aura more than killing, and it was due to this that I had to undergo the Elven purification ritual in order to foil Dumbledore's plan" said Tom quietly, his eyes resting on the navy bedspread.

"He always told me that you had killed your father in cold blood, wanting to take revenge for your abandonment" said Harry, leaning forward and tipping Tom's chin up, forcing him to look him in the eyes.

"For some time that would have been true and, had Alderan not taken me away, it would have been the most probable outcome. No, you would know how it feels, to constantly want your parents approval, to know that they are proud of you. Deep down that is all I wanted and Dumbledore saw that. He used it" Tom's voice was a little rough at the end, his eyes smouldering as he saw the scene unfold in his mind once again.

"I understand" whispered Harry, embracing the older man and feeling him shudder against him.

"Do you?" replied Tom quietly, "Do you know what it is like having your relatives despise you just for being who you are?"

"Yes, the Dursley's abused me all the time often denying me food or making me work like a house-elf. When I was younger I used to wonder what I had done wrong, what I had done to deserve their treatment. I used to try and please them as well as I could but it was never enough. It took some time before I realised that they punished me for existing" Harry had never told anyone this, although he had suspected that Dumbledore knew about it, and he was aware Tom knew that they belittled him, but he never thought he had an idea on the specifics.

"There is a difference though, you managed to keep your hatred at bay whilst I was consumed by it. I only faced my father one time and yet you lived with these people for over half of your life and yet they still breathe."

"Why are you trying to convince me that that act was evil?" asked Harry, irritation rising in him, swallowing him up as his mind finally managed to process what was being said.

"Because it was" stressed Tom.

"You weren't thinking rationally" said Harry firmly.

"That isn't good enough" said Tom quietly.

"But the fact that you feel remorse for that action, although it does not justify it, does make a difference" said Harry.

"I do not feel remorse for the action itself" said Tom, his eyes boring into Harry's trying to get him to understand.

"Then why are you talking like this?" asked Harry, genuinely puzzled now.

"It doesn't matter, you need to get ready for the train journey. I believe you are travelling separately from the others, it would raise suspicion if you were seen together. Once you get to Hogwarts you shouldn't act familiar with them unless the situation arises" said Tom, slipping his mask on once again. Harry sighed internally, seeing that he would get nothing from the now stoic man. He had been surprised that Tom had told him that much though, and thought better than to push his luck. Pulling back the covers Harry eased himself out of the bed, noticing that he still had his clothes from the previous night on. Straightening them up, he went through to the lounge, seeing two plates of bacon and eggs on the table along with two cups of tea. Feeling ravenous, Harry took one and began shovelling egg into his mouth, grinning when Tom raised an eyebrow at him after emerging from the bedroom fully dressed.

"Your table manners are appalling" said Tom, sitting next to him and trimming the fat off his bacon.

"Gryffindor" said Harry by way of an answer, his mouth full causing Tom to roll his eyes. Tom ate very... neatly. Harry was tempted to jump and try and startle to the man, just to make him spill something on that white shirt.

"If you do that I promise you that you will pay" threatened Tom, taking a sip of tea.

"I hate your mind reading ability" grumbled Harry, pushing his now empty plate away from him.

"I hate your table manners, so it looks like we'll both have to suffer" said Tom, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. Harry read the hidden meaning behind this however. What happened between them wouldn't be confined to last night and he felt a wave of relief sweep over him at this. Whatever they had he genuinely was interested in exploring it, for once he was irritated going to Hogwarts as it meant he would be separated from Tom.

"You won't be" said Tom suddenly.

"What?"

"You'll still see me at Hogwarts" explained Tom.

"How?" asked Harry.

"Now that would ruin the surprise" said Tom, smirking as he too finished his breakfast.

"Bastard" swore Harry, eliciting a chuckle from Tom, "As much as I would love to stay and have you read my every thought, I have a train to catch" added Harry as nonchalantly as possible. Standing up, he made to leave before Tom's hand grasped his arms in a vice like grip.

"Did you really think I would leave you after last night?" asked Tom, staring at him intently.

"I never knew what to expect, this is entirely new to me" confessed Harry, feeling Tom's grip lessen.

"Sorry, its new to me too. I just wanted to make sure that you are sure about this" said Tom, his voice was steady but his eyes contained a hint of worry.

"Of course I am, I don't make decisions like this rashly" retorted Harry.

"From what I've seen over the years and you being a Gryffindor I would have to disagree" smirked Tom, his expression changing to one of mirth but, looking into his eyes, Harry detected a flicker of relief.

"Your as bad as Dumbledore in the prejudice-against-houses department" laughed Harry.

"Yes but unlike him I have good reasons for thinking that" said Tom.

"Hey!" exclaimed Harry, his brow creasing in mock outrage, stiffening a little when Tom came closer to him.

"I apologise if I offended you" whispered Tom, leaning in to brush his lips against Harry's to emphasis his sincerity causing him to relax immediately. Like a magnet Harry was drawn to him, unable to resist the pull and next thing he knew they were kissing. Tom wound his fingers in Harry's hair, pulling roughly at the black strands and making Harry whimper slightly. Using this weakness, Tom plunged his tongue in, running it over the roof of Harry's mouth before combating with his tongue. Harry could only gasp slightly as he let Tom take control, wrapping his arms around Tom's waist and pulling him closer. This lasted another few seconds before Tom released him and Harry stood panting slightly, a blush coating his cheeks.

"You know I wasn't kidding about the train, there's still a few things I need to pack" gasped Harry, trying in vain to control his breathing. Mastering it, he saw Tom was looking at him, his eyes surveying him with a melancholy tinge to the otherwise calm blue.

"I'm going to miss you" sighed Tom, pulling Harry into an embrace. Burrowing into his chest Harry sighed contentedly, breathing in Tom's scent, he could never quite decide what it was. Cinnamon perhaps?

"Your still going to see me though apparently" replied Harry, looking up at Tom.

"Yes but not everyday" said Tom, injecting a little sadness into his voice.

"I'm sure you'll survive, however it might help if you tell me when you are coming, maybe we could plan some 'activities'" suggested Harry dryly, trying to ignore the fact that his heart rate was speeding up at the thought of leaving as he felt the exact same way. Time it seemed was always against him but, he had to admit, that whatever Tom had planned he was just happy he wouldn't have to wait until Christmas to see him, and this eased the sadness a little, made it more managable.

Tom chuckled, apparently amused by this response. "Nice try, however if I remember right you still have things to pack and so there isn't time for me to explain."

"I hate you" grumbled Harry, seeing Tom grin at his juvenile response before leaving the chambers, mentally groaning at how much work he had waiting for him in his room.

* * *

They were to meet at the Entrance Hall, from there they would Phase to just outside Kings Cross and then all enter, separately of course. Dragging his trunk down the stairs, Harry saw Lysander laughing at him. Raising an eyebrow, he proceeded to lug it down the remaining steps before approaching the blonde.

"What's so funny?"

"You are a wizard" answered Lysander cryptically.

"And?"

"Well have you ever heard of this thing called a lightening charm?"

"I'll do it" interrupted Tom, sweeping between the pair and tapping his wand on Harry's trunk. Lysander looked as if he was still suppressing laughter and Harry decided on a little payback. Reading his thoughts, Harry saw Tom smirk a little before capturing his lips in a steamy kiss, adding in some moans for good measure. Pulling apart they burst out laughing at Lysander's horror stricken expression, the grin firmly removed from his face.

"There are some things a guy isn't supposed to see" said Lysander when he finally regained the ability to speak and, seeing Blaise, he hurried over to him in a not so subtle escape.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist" confessed Harry.

"It was rather amusing" said Tom, adopting the impassive look he normally wore outside his chambers.

"Harry we have to go" called Luna.

"I'll see you soon Harry" promised Tom, kissing him softly amid catcalls from Lysander and Blaise. Shooting them a piercing glare, Tom turned his attention back to Harry.

"Please tell me how your coming" whined Harry, his curiosity was driving him mad.

"No, now go, I don't want you to be late" urged Tom, smirking slightly.

"Fine, but you owe me" grumbled Harry, feeling himself start to dissolve slowly. The last thing he heard was Tom chuckle before he faded into the darkness.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback. Sorry for the late update, life decided to throw me a couple of busy weeks *groan* I personally don't like this chapter very much and it was the hardest to write so far, I think I re-wrote it around three times before I realised that I would never actually be happy with it! Anyway next chapter is the return to Hogwarts... finally. I hope you enjoyed this rather pitiful attempt, the next chapter should be better.**

**Oh and I know Tom never fully explained why he was annoyed when discussing the memory of his father, that will come up in a later chapter but guesses are welcome :)  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.**

**Please Review!**


	16. Chapter 15: Returning

_"Change is certain. Peace is followed by disturbances; departure of evil men by their return. Such recurrences should not constitute occasions for sadness but realities for awareness, so that one may be happy in the interim."_  
_~Percy Bysshe Shelley_

* * *

Sighing, Harry looked out of the window, his breath frosting up the glass and obscuring the view of the wilderness outside. Ron and Hermione were still at their prefect meeting. He had seen them briefly before entering the train, Hermione had almost bowled him over with her excitement. She had been made Head Girl, apparently Professor McGonagall had sent her a note along with the badge, congratulating her. Ron was smiling sheepishly, drawing Harry's attention to the fact that he was holding Hermione's hand. At this Harry grinned, relieved that they had finally stopped dancing around the issue and just gotten together. Ron relaxed after that, obviously he was worried at how Harry would react, and before they left Harry they promised they would try and be back as soon as possible, giving him money to buy them sweets from the trolley if they weren't back in time.

It was getting darker outside, the sun setting behind the mountains, illuminating the surrounding clouds and setting fire to the skyline. It was beautiful, it truly was. The golden hues of the dying sun's rays seemed to warm Harry's spirits. He hadn't seen a sunset like this since before the holidays, normally training with Tom or hanging out with his new friends to pay attention to this phenomenon of nature. He wondered how Tom was going to get inside Hogwarts. Harry never wanted his lover being caught in some inane attempt to see him, however he knew this was irrational. Tom would never risk himself like that, their cause never allowed him to be so flippant. Whatever it was it had to be foolproof, something that Dumbledore wouldn't suspect. Thankfully, Hermione and Ron chose at this point to return, stopping Harry's thoughts before they wound up his nerves any further.

However, any thoughts of his nerves surviving this train journey were decimated when Lysander poked his head around the door.

"Harry, this is Lysander Chevalier, he's an exchange student from Beauxbatons. Professor McGonagall asked me to look after him" explained Hermione, pride lacing her words at the confidence her mentor had placed in her.

"Harry, it is a pleasure to meet you" said Lysander, amusement dancing deep within his eyes.

"It's good to meet you too Lysander" returned Harry.

"Blimey that was utter hell" said Ron, flopping down on the seat next to Harry, his hand diving into the box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans that Harry had bought for him.

"Ronald, you are a prefect, you need to take your duties seriously" scolded Hermione, glaring at him. Harry resisted the urge to laugh, it appeared that even with their newfound relationship some things wouldn't change.

"So who do you think will win the house cup this year?" asked Ron, concentrating on Harry to escape Hermione's wrath.

* * *

The next hour or so lasted with him and Ron talking Quidditch strategy, Lysander piping in every now and then. Harry had to admit, the boy was a natural at acting. He looked suitably nervous when it was expected, only some of his normal cocky behaviour leaking through when discussing flying prowess. Ron was amazed when Lysander had told him some of the moves he had performed on a broom, asking the blonde to perform them at Hogwarts. Lysander had of course agreed and before Harry knew it Ron had arranged a one on one competition between Lysander and Harry. At first Harry hadn't wanted to, but upon seeing the confident glint in Lysander's eyes he accepted. It would do the vampyre good to be knocked down a few pegs.

It was only after they had changed into their robes that trouble appeared. Harry had officially decided that no train journey was complete without a visit from Draco Malfoy.

"Potter, why am I not surprised" Malfoy's voice floated into their compartment. Sure enough moments later he came along with Blaise in tow.

"Blaise!" exclaimed Lysander happily.

"Lysander, how may I ask did you end up with these 'people'" sneered Blaise, looking down at Harry and Ron. Harry bit back the retort that he knew would make the façade useless

"Now, now Blaise, manners. These fine people have been educating me about Hogwarts, I can't wait to try out for Quidditch, you know how much I love brooms" said Lysander, if they hadn't been trying to remain undercover, Harry would have whacked Lysander, now was not the time for innuendos. As it was, Blaise just blushed a little bit.

"Lets go Lysander, I don't want to be contaminated" drawled Malfoy.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ron angrily.

"Come on now, even you are capable of figuring that one out" said Malfoy, smirking at Ron's reaction.

"Draco, didn't mother teach you manners" said Lysander teasingly.

"How do you know each other?" asked Hermione, popping her head up from behind Hogwarts: A History.

"Well" said Lysander, "Blaise's mother has a second home near mine, I believe it was your second step father's residence?"

"Yes" said Blaise, grinning slightly.

"Well anyway, she immediately got in touch with all the pureblood families in the area and I was on that list. One thing led to another and-"

"Hey!" exclaimed Blaise as Lysander pulled him on his lap.

"So you are together I take it?" asked Hermione, smiling slightly at the Slytherin's discomfort.

"Yes" said Lysander, tangling his fingers in Blaise's hair, pulling him close and pecking him on the lips. Soon however Blaise grew impatient and deepened the kiss, moaning slightly as Lysander took control.

"If I have to deal with this for a year I think I might get a transfer to Durmstrang" mutter Malfoy, for once looking uncomfortable.

"I never thought I'd ever say this but for once I agree with Malfoy" mumbled Ron, not really knowing where to look. Hermione handled it slightly better, burrowing herself back into her book. Harry was trying not to laugh, and when they eventually pulled apart, Lysander peeked at him over Blaise's shoulder and smirked as if to say 'paybacks a bitch'.

"Where's Crabbe and Goyle?" asked Harry, it was strange seeing Malfoy without his usual bodyguards.

"They never passed their exams last year, their fathers took them out to be self tutored" said Malfoy, without the normal drawl.

"I take it we're going to be seeing a lot more of each other" sighed Ron, looking over at Blaise and Lysander who were making out again.

"I guess" sighed Malfoy, sitting down next to Hermione and grimacing slightly, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Suit yourself" said Harry evenly.

They lapsed into silence, all trying to ignore the noises that Lysander and Blaise were making. Mercifully they arrived soon and Harry heard Ron sigh happily when the train came to a stop. The night had a fierce chill to it and Harry wrapped his cloak around him tighter, the cold never affected him a lot anymore but he could still feel the bite of the cold Scottish winds. Climbing into a carriage he almost groaned when Lysander came with him, Blaise and Malfoy having joined the rest of the Slytherin's in their own carriage.

"So is that really how you two met?" asked Hermione, feeling it was now safe to talk to him.

"Yes, my parents weren't too happy when they found out, they are rather traditional but they want me to be happy" answered Lysander, smiling.

"Just do me a favour and have no more public displays of affection like that" grumbled Ron.

"You're just jealous" retorted Lysander, grinning smugly when Ron's ears turned red and he grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Ron he doesn't mean it" said Harry, glaring at the blonde.

"What about you Harry?" asked Lysander, innocently turning his attention on Harry.

"No, I feel rather sorry for Blaise actually, it must be hard fucking you due to that stick up your arse."

Lysander laughed, and Harry joined him. It was exactly like it was in the Midnight Realm and Harry was enjoying himself immensely. Hermione looked at him rather disapprovingly but couldn't contain her smirk and Ron looked like he was choking on something. Their reactions just added to Harry's enjoyment.

They arrived at the castle and Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the hall, taking their traditional seats at the Gryffindor table and conversing with their classmates about their summers. Harry was glad that he was normally vague about his summers, it meant they never asked him much. Shortly the first years came in, Lysander at the head. Harry tried not to smirk at how uncomfortable the blonde looked, being about two feet taller than most of them.

"Now we have a new student in our midst as I am sure you have noticed. Everyone this is Lysander Chevalier, he has transferred here from Beauxbatons and I want you all to give him a warm welcome" said Dumbledore. Lysander sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his head. After a few minutes 'Ravenclaw' echoed around the hall. Smugly, Lysander stood up and walked to the third table, sitting next to Luna. The rest of the sorting went on without any problems and Harry found himself staring longingly at his plate, as if wishing the food to appear.

"To the new students and some of the old, I ask you not to enter the Forbidden Forest. Other than that I believe Mr Filch has added several items to his contraband list, a few Weasley products amongst them. For full details the list is on the door of his office. Lastly this year I would like you to welcome Professor Demeter Fairchild, she has kindly taken up the Defence Against the Dark Arts post," Dumbledore paused, allowing everyone to clap, "And now dig in!"

After piling steak and kidney pie on his plate, Harry looked up at the new DADA professor. She was pale, and her dark flowing hair only emphasised this. She had an almost ethereal beauty about her and Harry could already hear his classmates remarking on it. He thought she was part elf, maybe with a mix of vampire. He'd have to ask Lysander and Luna on what they thought. Pushing the matter aside he felt himself fall into the usual pattern, amazed at how easy it was to be amongst his friends again. It was like he had never left and the only thing that reminded him what had happened was how bland his pie tasted.

After dinner had ended, Hermione went off to find Lysander, only to be assured that 'the wise Ravenclaw' could find his way to the common room. Harry groaned internally, Lysander was going to milk this for all it was worth. Entering the common room (the password was 'fortune favours the bold'), Harry clambered up the staircase to the topmost floor and entered the seventh year dormitory. Collapsing fully clothed on the familiar four-poster bed he sighed happily, for now revelling in the joy he normally felt returning here. Forgetting, for a short moment, about the purpose that had driven him back. That could wait till tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, it boosted my confidence in it immensely. I hope you like this one, I couldn't resist adding in a 'Blaise and Lysander moment' I just love their relationship!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes.**

**Please review!**


	17. Chapter 16: Meeting

_'Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.'_  
_~Anais Nin_

* * *

The week was relatively uneventful - by Harry's standards anyway. Hermione still had to show Lysander around but Harry could tell she was enjoying to get to know the blonde and he would probably be staying with them after that. Blaise was fine with the arrangements but Malfoy was being... well Malfoy, albeit without the usual malice since his two bodyguards were gone. It was strange, but Harry was almost enjoying himself, he knew he was here for a mission but he couldn't really help it. He associated the castle with home and safety and although that had changed he couldn't bring himself to feel threatened. He supposed that was part of their plan, lull Dark wizards into a security they couldn't afford.

He was however mystified by Demeter Fairchild. Lysander reckoned that she was part elf but he wasn't sure about the vampire part. Luna agreed with this assessment, apparently Professor Fairchild was part of the water elves clan. Harry had absolutely no idea what this meant but thought better than to press for more details - Luna had taken at that moment to start on a lecture about humdingers and he wanted to escape as soon as possible.

Now however it was Friday and as Harry spooned cornflakes into his mouth he could help but feel the gaping hunger that the cereal was doing nothing to sate. He had slowly began to get symptoms as the days had worn on and now he was down right parched. If only he… No, he couldn't go there! As a distraction he looked around at his friends. Hermione was berating Ron for his table manners and Harry felt his stomach clench slightly. He remembered Tom complaining about his manners, the way Tom's lips brushed together as he talked, how his eyes lit up when he was discussing something he felt passionate about, the way his skin had felt so smooth against his own…

"Earth to Harry" came Ron's voice. Immediately the images ceased and Harry tried not to blush as he recalled them.

"Sorry?"

"Honestly Harry you should pay attention more" said Hermione disgruntled.

"We were saying that the one on one between you and Lysander is scheduled for Sunday, I already checked it with Blaise" interjected Ron quickly.

"Oh, I had forgotten about that" said Harry.

"Mate are you feeling okay?" asked Ron, his forehead creased with worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired" lied Harry, trying to ignore the pulsing blood he could hear rush through their systems.

"You really should go to bed earlier" scolded Hermione, but her eyes too were filled with worry.

"No, I'm fine. Look lets get to class" he said hurriedly, slinging his bag over his shoulder and standing up.

Hermione and Ron shared a look that clearly told Harry the discussion wasn't over yet. Internally sighing, Harry walked briskly to DADA, Hermione and Ron quickly fell behind but he couldn't bring himself to care. Reaching the door he saw Professor Fairchild was already in the classroom, writing on some parchment with what Harry thought was a phoenix feather quill.

"Ah Harry Potter, you're early" she said, her voice melodic and almost hovering in the air between them.

"Yes, you don't mind do you?" She had the same air around her as Nimthîriel and Harry felt himself slip into formal speech.

"Of course not, are you alright?"

"Yes, I feel quite well thank you" replied Harry, sitting at his seat upfront. An amused look flitted through her purple eyes at this. Harry remembered the first time he had seen her up close, he had felt himself fall into their dark depths only to surface and wonder where he was. Thankfully the effect was rather diminished now and he was able to appreciate her teaching. She was on par with Lupin he would have to say. The way she taught it was obvious that she was passionate about the subject, she injected her enthusiasm into others and the class generally did tasks with a lot more gusto than they had years prior. So far they had been learning more advanced methods of disarming. Hermione had been shocked that Harry had gotten it faster than she had but thankfully attributed it to his prowess in the subject. Other than that he had managed to hide his newfound abilities and magic well, his marks were slightly elevated than usual and he planned on raising them steadily to avoid suspicion. It was strange though, before he hadn't noticed it but now he could feel people's magic. It was a lot like what happened in the arena back home but less potent. He was grateful for this and as his class filed in he could feel their magic lapping at his skin, almost gently caressing him.

Ron and Hermione sat together, they had obviously been waiting outside the whole time, feeling impolite to just barge into the classroom before it was time. To his great surprise - and that of the rest of the class - Draco sat next to him right in Gryffindor territory with Blaise and Lysander behind him. He guessed it was due to the loving (translation: scary) looks Pansy was giving him however he wasn't given much time to mull over it properly, instead Professor Fairchild decided at that moment to begin the lesson.

"Now, as I am sure you remember, we have been practicing the contego charm. This is used primarily for defence but can be used to box an enemy in as well in effect trapping them. Only those who have mastered it fully shall be able to try this this lesson and so think carefully before you attempt it. It is an incredibly draining spell and I do not wish you to drain your cores to the point of exhaustion if you are not ready. The incantation is contego optimus, begin" she drifted away to the corner to watch them.

Only Hermione, Harry, Blaise, Lysander, Parvati and Daphne felt comfortable doing the charm. Professor Fairchild paired them up and Harry was put with Hermione. He felt bad at upstaging his friend but, as he saw her struggle against his shield he couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride at his abilities. For years he had thought himself a mediocre wizard at best but now, now he was finally proving himself worthy of the praise and adulation he was given on a daily basis. Looking around he saw that only Lysander had been able to trap his partner, Blaise glaring at him behind the invisible barrier demanding to be set free. Harry chuckled and lifted the spell off Hermione. Feeling a prickling on the back of his neck he turned around and saw Professor Fairchild staring at him, her eyes narrowed slightly as she surveyed him. Wrenching his eyes away, Harry felt Hermione cast the charm on him. Immediately his movements felt sluggish, as if he were immersed in a viscous solution, and he could feel something pressing at him on all sides. To say it was unpleasant would be an understatement. Mercifully Hermione lifted it quickly and he gasped slightly, feeling his lungs expand luxuriously.

Sitting back down they watched the class work, Pansy and Malfoy (she had dug her claws into him as quickly as she could), Ron and Neville were finally getting the hang of the shield charm, Lysander was doing his best puppy dog eyes at Blaise who was having too much fun holding him under the charm. The rest of the class were doing well Parvati and Daphne had managed to cast the charm for a few seconds and everyone else by the end of the lesson were able to cast one or both of the charms much to the approval of Professor Fairchild.

"Harry, a moment please?" asked Professor Fairchild, glancing at his friends he said he'd see them in Potions and waited for the class to leave.

"What is it Professor?" asked Harry, bewildered and more than a little on edge.

"Tom requests that you be at the room of requirement tonight at nine, bring Lysander and Blaise."

"How do I know you speak the truth?"

"Tom said that you would say that and so he also gave me a letter to pass on" she handed him the piece of parchment before dismissing him.

Walking along the corridor, Harry descended to the dungeons, feeling the familiar chill wrap around him, drawing him into the dank place. Unfolding the note he scanned it quickly:

_Demeter is working with us and speaks the truth. Bring the others and I look forward to seeing you._  
_Love Tom_

It was ridiculous, Harry told himself, to feel so elated by just one word. However Tom had never said he loved him before and, although he technically hadn't said it, it still meant a lot. Gazing at the words once more, Harry regretfully folded the parchment and stuffed it in his pocket.

Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

Come quarter to nine Harry was buzzing. He kept glancing at the clock every few minutes, infuriating Hermione who was trying to focus on her potions essay. Harry knew he should be doing the same but he couldn't help it and, glancing down at his parchment, he saw he had only written the question. As seventh years they were allowed into the library whenever they wanted they just had to request the key from their head of house. McGonagall had obliged and so they had all gathered in the library, finding the common room too noisy to be able to focus on anything. This had also given a good reason to get Lysander and Blaise with them, it had been too risky to communicate to them during the day and so Harry took this time to write them a note under the pretence of asking for help.

* * *

"Hey can you help me with this? Hermione has threatened to make me another study timetable if I ask her again" Harry's voice permeated Lysander's work space. Okay by work he meant drawing a picture of drowning Snape in a cauldron, seriously the man was a pain. Looking up he was greeted with the sight of Harry, there was a strange glint in his eye - joy perhaps? - and Lysander wanted to find out what it was. One glance at Harry's homework was all he needed for an answer.

_Tom's coming, at the room of requirement at nine, wait for me outside the library._

Nodding his head, he went back to drawing Snape. Add one more line… and there perfect! Now that was done he could focus on what Harry had told him. Tom was coming? Judging by the look in Harry's eyes things were definitely working between them. Glancing at Blaise he felt happy for his friend if he had found something like what they had. Blaise had helped him through so much - his parents pressuring him to get good grades, their reaction to his sexuality to name but a few. Blaise too had been in the same situation and together they strengthened each other, supported each other even if could only have been through letters. Sighing, he glanced at the clock, it was almost nine. He could always do his essay at the weekend, now it was time to scar some Gryffindor's. Oh he loved this place.

* * *

"We're going to go back to our dorms" said Lysander, wrapping an arm around Blaise's waist and destroying what ever truth there was in that statement.

"I don't even want to know" muttered Ron, the tips of his ears going red.

"If you fail you'll only have yourselves to blame" warned Hermione.

"Relax Granger we've got all weekend" retorted Blaise, leading Lysander out. Once the door closed Hermione groaned and began writing furiously again. Ron meanwhile was looking up memory draughts in the vain hope that they could erode the mental images Lysander had placed in his mind. Stretching, Harry yawned loudly before proclaiming that he had had enough for the night. Packing away his things, Hermione shot him a disapproving look but never said anything.

Exiting the library, Harry caught sight of Lysander and Blaise standing next to a suit of armour. Approaching them he motioned for them to follow, too excited to really talk much. They seemed to understand this and made no comment. Pacing three times Harry thought 'I need a place that is safe' and the door appeared, spreading out over the bricks like a mold. Looking at Lysander he saw that the blonde was trying to contain his awe, Blaise merely looked bored having seen it all when he had been a member of the Inquisitorial Squad. Smirking, he strode inside, admiring the couches and armchairs that were scattered about the room. A fire burned in the hearth, fiery tendrils stroking the grate and spreading warmth throughout the room. The carpet was red and the walls cream making the room seem spacious and cosy all in one. Splaying himself on one of the couches, Harry sighed softy watching as Blaise and Lysander did the same. He was nervous he had to admit. Excitement mingled with this and it was taking all his willpower not to pace and wear a hole in the carpet. The clock on the mantelpiece signalled that it was nine and sure enough black mist soon formed in the centre of the room before solidifying and forming Tom. He looked as he always did, Harry wasn't quite sure what changes he was expecting to occur in one week.

"It is good to see you all" said Tom, his face betraying no emotion when he took in the sight of his pupils. He sat down next to Harry and Harry had to resist the urge to touch him as Tom obviously wanted this meeting to be formal if his entrance was any indication.

"How did you get in here without activating the wards?" asked Harry, trying to distract himself from Tom's proximity.

"Vampyres are exceedingly rare, so rare in fact that the founders nor any head teacher since has thought of putting wards up against us. Of course there is also the reason that no vampyre has ever willingly collaborated with the wizards of Hogwarts" answered Tom, smirking a little.

"Why did you want us to meet?" asked Lysander, holding Blaise's hand firmly in his own.

"What you are saying the Wise Ravenclaw can't figure it out" teased Blaise, grinning playfully at his lover.

"The Wise Ravenclaw forgot to mention he was nearly placed in Hufflepuff" interjected Tom, his eyes shining with amusement.

"It was only for a moment!" defended Lysander, glaring at Blaise who was barely containing his laughter.

"Anyway I need to discuss training schedules," said Tom, returning the focus once more to himself, "This year I feel you are old enough to join the Death Eaters but you must keep up your training in order to be effective. The meetings will only be an hour a week but I wish to train you all individually, this shall also attract less suspicion as you will not be disappearing together."

"Friday nights will be fine" said Harry.

"I'll do Tuesday" said Blaise.

"Okay Wednesday" said Lysander finally.

"Good, I will send you the times through Demeter, they may fluctuate depending on my own schedule. You may leave, but Harry I need a word with you" finished Tom.

"Of course" replied Harry, watching as Blaise and Lysander left the room. Finally when they had gone Harry turned to Tom. It was strange that how one minute the man could be cold and impassive and the next… Harry couldn't even describe it. Tom's features still retained the emotionless mask but his eyes, his eyes burned with such an intensity that it took his breath away. Leaning closer, Harry ran his finger down Tom's cheek, smiling when the older vampyre leaned into his touch. A groan seemed to sound in the back of Tom's throat and he clasped Harry's hand, his long fingers twining with Harry's short ones.

"I've missed you" sighed Tom, a hint of a smile playing about his lips.

"And I you. Did you mean what you said about us having to train for the Death Eaters?" asked Harry, narrowing his eyes and seeing Tom hesitate.

"No, things are… we believe something may happen soon. Our army is nearly ready and it is only a matter of time until we take back what it ours. We need to keep you on your toes and complacency can get you killed which is something I am not prepared to see happen," Tom untwined their hands and brushed his lips over the inside of Harry's wrist, "When was the last time you drank?"

"Um… when I fed from you" answered Harry, bemused by Tom's line of questioning. They were discussing the inevitable war and he was more concerned about Harry's blood intake!

"Hmm, why haven't you been hunting in the forest?"

"I, I never knew I was allowed!" Tom chuckled at this.

"How do you think I survived here?" he asked, amusement ringing in his voice.

"Shut up" mumbled Harry, gasping slightly when Tom began nibbling his wrist.

"Well I'm sure I can come up with a solution for the moment" said Tom smoothly, slicing his own wrist with his teeth and holding it to Harry's mouth. Harry felt his instincts take over and clamped down on the offered arm, eliciting a gasp followed by a whimper from Tom. He could feel the power surging through his veins and overwhelming his system. Tom wasn't faring much better, his face was flushed and his mouth agape. When he eventually let go, both were panting heavily.

"Sorry about that" gasped Harry, licking the rest of the blood from his lips unwilling to miss a drop.

"Don't apologise" managed Tom, slowly repairing the cracks the experience had made in his mask.

"Will I see you again next week?"

"I always keep my promises" said Tom, the flush fading from his face, "You better get back, they'll be wondering where you are."

"I don't want to" groaned Harry, cuddling up to Tom.

"I'm sorry but you have to, I'll see you again soon" said Tom, kissing him lightly, in sharp contrast to the passion earlier.

"I know" said Harry, moving dejectedly towards the door.

"Goodnight" whispered Tom. Harry watched him fade, his eyes were the last to disappear gazing sadly at him before nothing but his scent remained.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! Not really sure about this chapter, I'm kind of doubting my writing skills for this fic at the moment... :/  
**

** I was asked who Demeter Fairchild is. She is a water elf sent to Hogwarts to keep an eye on Harry - Tom wouldn't just rely on his pupils to protect Harry, he is a little paranoid that way. I don't know if she'll have a bigger part in it or not, it depends where the story takes me - I do have a plan just not that detailed.**

**Also I wrote Lysander's POV because it was requested, I hope it makes him a more 3D character. If there are any more requests I'll try and fit them in :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter - it hasn't been beta'd so there will probably be more *sigh***

**Please Review!**


	18. Chapter 17: Discussions

_'Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are.'_  
_~Soren Kierkegaard_

* * *

The shadows caressed him as he walked gently down the corridor. The night was still and to anyone else it would have been eerie the way the moon filtered through the cracks in the walls. Harry never knew where he was going, all he knew was that he had to get away. Tom's visit had sustained him for a short time, however now he felt the bloodlust rise in him, consume his being as its snaky tendrils wrapped round him even tighter. Picking up the pace he veered off to the right and cloaked the darkness around him, it hovered over his skin, ensconcing him and making him feel safe. Tom had taught him it in their second training session together to help him manoeuvre through the castle undetected. It was useful, but he knew Ron and Hermione were getting suspicious over his disappearances. He had told them that Dumbledore had advised that he practice to bring Voldemort down, but in order to do so he had to meditate and truly learn about his magic in order to control it. His friends knew he had trouble with his control and so this had been a logical reason, also it meant he had to be on his own so he would have an excuse to be gone for hours without them.

The grass rippled slightly as he glided over it, the only indication that anyone was even out on the grounds. The moon was unencumbered by the little puffs of darkened cloud, shining brightly and illuminating the night. He felt like he had crossed some sort of threshold, like this was some magical realm in which he had unwittingly stumbled into. The smells of the dying blooms permeated his nostrils, giving him one last snatch of summer before Autumn destroyed it, leaving nothing in Her path of decay.

A small rabbit foraged in the undergrowth, its little paws grating against the twigs as it scampered through the vegetation. Its blood smelled weak, the scent, although attractive not enough to sate his appetite. Stalking further, he lifted branches out of his path silently, long vines draped over his head, dangling down from the trees and other plants in this forest. They tickled the back of his neck but there was little he could do about that.

Then he smelt it.

The odour was pungent but not in a bad way. It called out to his senses like a Siren, ensnaring his mind and beckoning him closer. Lifting a branch he saw it was a deer. She was nibbling at a bush, her chews incredibly loud to his sensitive ears. Lunging, she never had a chance as he wrapped his arms around her, holding tightly to the now bucking animal. Sinking his teeth into its neck he lapped at the rich blood oozing out of the two holes, the flavour not as strong as Tom's but bringing immense pleasure nonetheless. Moaning, he heard the animal's heartbeat slow down, getting more and more sluggish with every sip. Throwing away the carcass, he muttered a small apology to the deer before phasing back to the grounds, just inside the tree line. His eyes zeroed in on a figure descending from the castle and he stayed still, wrapping the darkness tighter around him. When the person got closer he realised it was Malfoy.

"Potter, I know you're here, don't worry I know," whispered the Malfoy heir, his voice carrying over to Harry. Unsure what to do, he looked at the young man's features. He certainly looked like he was telling the truth, his eyes were shining under the glare of the moon and his face had an open look that he had never seen there before. Before consciously deciding upon it, he relaxed his grip on the darkness, allowing himself to become visible. Malfoy saw and strode over to him as Harry edged deeper into the forest.

"What do you want Malfoy?" asked Harry, sitting down on a rotting tree stump.

"To talk," replied the heir simply, sitting down next to him.

"You said you know. Know what exactly?"

"Oh I know you're a vampyre, Blaise told me on the train," said Draco calmly. That explained why he wasn't so adverse to hanging around them now, Harry had been starting to suspect Blaise had imperiused him, but if he knew they were on the same side then there was no need for animosity.

"What else?" pressed Harry.

"I know everything Harry," said Malfoy gently, for once the sneer was absent from his voice.

"Wow, I never thought I'd here you call me by my first name!" said Harry in mock amazement.

"We're on the same side, I see no reason to antagonise you anymore," said Draco, Harry could tell he meant every word he said.

"How do you know I am on your side?"

"I know that you will be present at the next Death Eater meeting," replied Draco, unbuttoning his left cuff and rolling his sleeve up. Harry could see the inky black tattoo that was the Dark Mark, however now he never felt any revulsion to it. It was beautiful in some sense, the snake scales glimmering in the half light making it seem like a precious jewel. Unconsciously, Harry extended a hand and traced the pattern, feeling like he was somehow closer to Tom by doing so.

Draco watched this, fascination swirling in his silver eyes. So it really was true, he never would have thought that Harry was capable of loving the Dark Lord. He had heard he was handsome but the adoration glinting in the turbulent emerald eyes went well beyond that. Harry loved him, he may not know it yet but he did. Draco couldn't really see how someone could love a man so cold but in a twisted way it made sense. The two people most wronged by Dumbledore were the two to find happiness in each other.

Rolling his sleeve back up he looked at Harry. He was different. His eyes were slightly brighter, burning with an intensity that the young Malfoy had never seen before. He was also incredibly pale with a flush gathered around his cheeks. His external appearance wasn't the only change. This Harry was far more refined than the old one. He was able to control his temper more, as proven when Draco had pushed him too far, eliciting a stern word from the raven haired man instead of a hex as it would have in bygone years. He looked older, the new clothes giving him an almost aristocratic air like a boy born into one of the wizarding world's most powerful families should have had from birth. The most obvious change was his vast improvement with magic. His skill with a wand now outmatched some of the teachers and he kept getting better as the term progressed. Draco had a feeling that he was holding back, slowly increasing his progress not to arouse suspicion. It was sensible but it also made Draco curious as to how much more he could do.

"What are you looking at?" asked Harry, Draco saw him scanning his features, trying to draw the truth out of them. Draco decided to oblige.

"You seem like another person than the one I used to know."

"A lot has happened to me since then," replied Harry, his eyes adopting a distance look. His expression never hinted at sadness however so Draco assumed that they were good memories he was reliving.

"What was it like training with the Dark Lord? Personally I would be terrified," asked Draco, seeing Harry shake his head, dislodging the cobwebs of memory from the green orbs.

"It was really good actually. He's a great teacher. I guess he is different around you guys huh?"

"You could say that, he doesn't torture us as much anymore though. I should probably thank you for that," said Draco, smiling weakly.

"He's tough but he's fair. The amount of times I had to get bones repaired..." Harry trailed off, a grin playing about his lips. Draco saw nothing particularly funny about this but he did admit Harry had a point. The Dark Lord only tortured them when he was angry and it was normally _them_ that had made him angry. A breeze swept over them, bringing the chill of the night in its full force. Shivering, Draco wrapped his cloak around him tighter. Harry noticed this however, a concerned look entering his eyes.

"Let's head back up, its almost one in the morning," said Harry, checking his watch. The only time he could feed without arousing suspicion was at night. It was lucky he had never needed much sleep as between that and the training not to mention homework he barely got any.

Harry had noticed a change in the young Malfoy too. No longer did the heir walk as if he were better than all in the vicinity. It appeared that they had both gotten a glimpse at each other tonight, seen the true face behind the mask they wore each day. It was almost a relief to have someone other than those he met in the realm to confide in. The breeze had picked up, whipping around them as they made their way back up to the castle. Wrapping the darkness around them both they moved undetected through the castle walls, only meeting the Grey Lady as she swept through a portrait of the Delindus the Deranged. At the Great Staircase Harry and Draco silently went their separate ways, Harry ascending the stairs whilst Draco went down to the dungeons.

"Beezlebub," said Harry, ignoring The Fat Lady scolding him for being out so late.

The common room was deserted and he made his way up the stairs, the aged wood creaking ever so slightly under his weight. Treading quietly he entered his dormitory, changing quickly into his pyjamas and clambering into bed. A voice sounded through the darkness momentarily freezing his blood.

"N. Nooo not the spiders..." mumbled Ron, groaning in his sleep as he rolled over onto his side.

"Its okay Ron, there are no spiders, go back to sleep," said Harry gently, trying to calm the scared red head.

"Mmm thanks Har..." said Ron sleepily, a snore resounding throughout the room moments later.

Laying back in his bed, Harry sighed as his body moulded to the bed. His shoulders relaxed, the stress leaving him for a few precious hours. No matter how easy he made it look, acting like his old self was draining. Draco had helped him realise that he had indeed changed a lot. He felt older, like he had outgrown them, it was only in his times with Tom that he felt evenly matched. He knew without a doubt that he was more than a match for almost anybody at the school and Tom's lessons were helping him excel in his class work to the point that he was learning nothing from his Professors. The only reason he was staying at school was for his mission, he loved his friends he truly did but the barrier between them was hard to ignore. He hoped that he would be able to bring them around but he would have to do it slowly, they already knew something was going on, and it was insulting to their intelligence to assume that they wouldn't figure it out sooner or later. Tomorrow was the weekend, perhaps he could discuss it with them then. He knew Ron would never side with him but Hermione might, her campaign against house-elf enslavement showed him that she was willing to go against authority if it meant greater representation of the neglected classes. Yawning, he looked at the clock seeing it was just after two. He had five hours until he had to get up for breakfast. Stretching, he snuggled into the now warm covers, enjoying for what could be the last time the security that was having his friends around him.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I confess I was seriously deliberating on abandoning this story, for the last few chapters I've felt my writing has been awful and I was sick of doubting myself. That said talking with Elfinmyth and LaTiL has made me want to write more, rekindling my enthusiasm. This chapter was initially going to be a Death Eater meeting but I felt Draco's almost friendly behaviour towards Harry should be explained and is the reason it is so short - plus I love writing him! I think this chapter is better than my previous ones but I'll leave you to make up your own mind about it :)_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter._

_Please Review!_


	19. Chapter 18: Confessions

_'A confession has to be part of your new life.'_  
_~ Ludwig Wittgenstein_

* * *

The day was chilly, the leaves were turning ochre, withering as the life was sucked out of them. Summer was dying, Harry just hoped this wasn't prophetic. The watery sun shone her rays over the damp grounds, illuminating the dew and raindrops that had accumulated on the vegetation and making them almost sparkle before his eyes. He doubted Ron and Hermione could see this, his eyesight had improved considerably since his change, he only kept the glasses to avoid awkward questions. He knew Lysander and Blaise were wondering what he was doing, both had looked at him quizzically when he announced he wanted to go for a walk with Ron and Hermione. His reason for this was to catch up, however he knew his friends never believed him in the slightest. No doubt they were huddled with Draco in some corner of the library trying to come up with ideas. It was an amusing picture, but the anxiety curling in his gut distracted him and he grew sombre once more.

They were heading towards the forest, the trees swaying collectively in the wind, almost beckoning them to shelter underneath their aged bows. Gladly, they ducked into the enclosure, and Harry spotted a rotten tree stump, wondering if that was the same one he had sat on whilst talking to Draco. Little flowers and moss were growing at the base, destroying the decayed look and rejuvenating it. Sitting, he waited until Ron and Hermione had made themselves comfortable, both looking at him, their expressions fluctuating between bemused and wary. He hadn't realised they had been this suspicious.

"Harry, why did you want to speak with us?" asked Hermione, shattering the silence and scaring a nearby pheasant.

"I haven't been entirely truthful with you since we've gotten back," said Harry, testing the waters and watching their expressions carefully. Nothing changed and he felt it safe to go on. "Over the summer I discovered more about my heritage. These revelations were alarming at first but now I've come to accept them and I hope you do to."

"We will Harry, we knew you had changed, that something had occurred. I'm just glad you are finally telling us," said Hermione, Harry wondered if she would take it back once hearing the full extent.

"Go on mate," said Ron, Harry smiled, at least they hadn't run away from him screaming.

"I, I'm a vampyre, not a normal vampire however. My mother had the gene in her DNA and the creature blood my father had helped activate it along with my magic," he scanned their features again, and both looked deep in thought.

"How did you find this out?" asked Ron finally.

"Tom Riddle helped me, he guided me through the change in my dreams before collecting me and taking me away to the Midnight Realm. The realm is a safe haven for all dark creatures to protect them against the purges of the Light. Now this isn't the Light we all know and were raised by. They too have a realm and Dumbledore is acting for them in the wizarding world just as Tom is for the Dark. Over the years the Light have spread propaganda about the Dark, eradicating those found to be Dark creatures and destroying the balance of power. There was a meeting of the clans long before our world as we know came to exist. It was at this meeting both sides agreed to co-exist to maintain the balance, however the Light have disrupted this and we need to restore the peace," Harry knew he wasn't describing this as well as Tom, however understanding dawned on Hermione's features as Ron still processed what he had been told.

"You've gone Dark haven't you Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, after seeing what the Light has done I have no other choice," said Harry gravely.

"This means Tom is Voldemort doesn't it?" Harry was surprised she had figured this out so quickly and his stomach dropped when he realised that it was now or never.

"Yes," he said, the word sounding heavy even to his own ears.

"Why did he kill you're parents then?" asked Hermione, her brow furrowing slightly, her thirst to know the facts suspending her belief for a moment.

"He never, Dumbledore did," said Harry. The silence was deafening as his friends processed this. He could practically see the cogs turning in their minds.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"He wanted me to be sent to my relatives. He hoped that they would lower my self-esteem so much that I wouldn't be able to cast the simplest spells. Your magical strength relies party on confidence and partly on the power contained within your core. Basically if you don't have the confidence you can't access your magic. If this happened, the vampyre gene wouldn't have activated and I wouldn't be a vampyre," replied Harry.

"Why _you_ though?" asked Ron.

"There is a prophecy that says Tom and I shall restore the balance. This meant Dumbledore's reign would come to an end and he can't afford that to happen," said Harry.

"Is it possible to get proof of this, I mean its Dumbledore! He's stood up for everyone, I don't understand how your faith has dropped in him so much," said Ron. This was the reaction Harry had feared, the one that he knew he would have trouble getting through to them.

"Please keep an open mind, I can get you Tom's memory, you can judge for yourself," said Harry.

"So are you really trying to restore the balance of magic, not take over?" asked Ron. It stung, but Harry had known to expect it.

"Yes, taking over would plunge the world into chaos, something neither me nor Tom wants," he replied.

"How do we know this is the truth, memories aside?" asked Hermione, her eyes told him she was sorry at having to ask this but needed to in order to form a balanced opinion. At least she was considering it.

"Look at what has happened over the years. We get taught Defence Against the Dark Arts but not the Dark Arts themselves. The discrimination Professor Lupin faced when it became known he was a werewolf, a _Dark_ creature. How Light spells can also be used for evil, I could accio your heart out right now whereas in comparison avada kedavra kills one instantly, more kindly-"

"Wait, how can the killing curse be used for good though? Accio can summon anything and can be used for good purposes, but I don't see how avada kedavra can," asked Ron.

"Its all about intention Ron. The killing curse can be used as a form of euthanasia, however depending on the intention it could also be used for murder," answered Hermione, her tone exactly like it would be in the classroom.

"Do you believe me?" asked Harry, looking between the both of them.

"I will need to do further research but yes, judging by what you've said and the evidence you have presented I would say it is plausible," said Hermione, smiling at him.

"I believe you, however I can't abandon my family. They will be on Dumbledore's side, be that for good or bad, no matter what and I don't want to have to go against them-"

"I understand Ron," said Harry quietly.

"Let me finish mate," said Ron, grinning and relieving the tension slightly, "I'd rather remain neutral. You're like a brother to me and I don't want to have to be against you either. There are obviously more factors in this war that I don't understand and I don't want to risk my life for something I can't comprehend. I'm out."

"Are you sure about this?" asked Harry, his eyes boring into Ron's, trying to detect a flicker of doubt. Brown eyes stared defiantly back at him, staring him down and showing him he meant every word he said, "Thank you Ron, I never knew what to expect from either of you but I never thought you would stick by me."

"Face it mate, you're stuck with us. Just do me a favour, when you're discussing Dark plans leave me out of it," said Ron, standing up and dusting himself off.

"Did you honestly think we would abandon you for what you are?" asked Hermione incredulously.

"I was a bit stupid wasn't I?" laughed Harry, relief coursing through him at the thought that he still had his two best friends.

"Yes," replied Ron and Hermione.

"So can you do any cool vampyre tricks?" asked Ron, curiosity burning beneath the flippant tone.

"You really want to know?" asked Harry in disbelief, he really hadn't expected this level of acceptance.

"It is rather fascinating, I hadn't known vampyres could exist in this way," backed up Hermione.

"Okay, I can run fast, use wandless magic, see in the dark, fly to an extent, I don't feel the cold much, Phase which is like apparating, get tired during when I'm in sunlight, heightened senses..." Harry was struggling to think of any more, he thought he had covered them all.

"Wow," the word dropped from Ron's lips laced with awe.

"It isn't all its cracked up to be, try training with Tom, he's a slave driver," said Harry, wondering what Tom would look like if he said that to his face. He'd probably get an ass kicking. Actually, on second thoughts it might be worth it.

"Have you been training with him here?" asked Hermione, the little frown on her face that showed she was thinking about something really hard.

"Yes, why?"

"That explains it. From what you've told us Dumbledore wants you dead and so it wouldn't make sense for him to train you, other than to make you go against Voldemort unprepared and force him to kill you. Tom has been Phasing into the castle hasn't he?"

"Sometimes I forget how smart you are," said Harry, taken aback by how quickly she had figured this out, "Yes he has, how did you know?"

"Hogwarts: A History says that the wards around Hogwarts are only against wizards, not creatures. This is because the house-elves need to be able to move around undetected but it is only logical that it applies to other magical creatures to."

"Can we go to a meeting?" asked Ron suddenly.

"Yes, I would like to talk to Tom about this, it would give me more evidence with which to base my decision," said Hermione.

"I'll have to ask, but it should be fine," said Harry, wondering how his lover would take Hermione's questions.

"Oh! We better go back up! I hadn't realised the time, we have to complete that DADA essay!" exclaimed Hermione, casting a tempus charm.

Walking back up, the sun seemed to shine brighter, the thick grey clouds dissipating as Harry felt joy coarse through him. Regardless of their decision they would still be friends with him. He hadn't realised how much this had been bothering him until now. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he breathed in deeply, luxuriating in the feeling. Now all he had to worry about was Tom's reaction when he found out he'd told them. Crap.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback, you've really increased my confidence in this story! I really don't like it when Ron is portrayed as jealous or hating Harry for turning Dark. That said I couldn't imagine him siding with him so making him neutral seemed to be the best option. I hope you agree. I know that this chapter repeats a lot of what was in the first couple, its more a refresher and there is no way Ron or Hermione would believe him if he brushed over it quickly. Also sorry for the late update, I was finishing another fic that was taking up most of my time. _

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes._

_Please Review!_


	20. Chapter 19: Death Eaters

_All human sin seems so much worse in its consequences than in its intentions._  
_~ Reinhold Niebuhr_

* * *

Harry waited in the hall with much trepidation, fingering the pendant lingering around his neck. It had been decided that only selected members of the inner circle would know who he was. The pendant was created by Tom, effectively acting as a glamour. Looking in the mirror hanging on the wall opposite, he was slightly shocked to see a brown haired blue eyed man staring back. His hair was shoulder length and his cheekbones higher, giving him an aristocratic air. His dark robes billowed slightly from the open window, the night tasted chilly on his tongue, but other than that gave him no inconvenience. Riddle Manor was exactly as it had been in his visions back in fifth year, however now the house had been cleaned up, the surfaces of the various furniture that lined the hall glimmering in the moon light. It was eerie, but beautiful. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows, intermingling with each other in some dark dance. He could hear the murmuring going on behind the mahogany double doors. Lysander and Blaise were getting their marks first, Tom had told him that he was getting something different. He smirked at the outrage this would cause amongst the Death Eaters. A newcomer getting a higher rank was likely to wound their pride.

He had been waiting for a while now. Half of him was worried that everyone would realise he was missing. He had instructed Ron and Hermione to cover for him. Although sceptical of his story they were at least not going to pass judgement until the full facts had been heard, and for that he was grateful. After the meeting he was planning to tell Tom what had occurred days prior. His stomach coiled with worry at the thought.

The doors opened, the dark ranks of the Death Eaters lined up in such a way that it created a straight path to the front of the room. Looking further up, he saw stairs leading a platform. Voldemort was sitting on a throne-like seat, Lysander and Blaise beside him. It had frightened him slightly the first time he saw his lover don the disguise, his heartbeat racing as he remembered the graveyard and the first time he had laid eyes on the skeletal features. Now, however, he could see a sort of distorted beauty in him. The was the scales glistened from the light of the chandelier, how his blood red eyes seemed to shine with wisdom and slight madness all at the same time. Harry saw a similar pendant around his neck, remembering when Tom first gave him his.

* * *

_"You're really giving this to me?" he asked, eyeing the pendant. Two basilisks shaped in an 'S' held a ruby red stone between them, reminding him so much of his lover's eyes._

_"You will need a glamour for the meeting. The last thing we need is for one of the incompetent fools to make the Light aware of your allegiance," murmured Tom, running his hands through Harry's hair, his spidery fingers raking along his scalp. He shuddered into the touch, moaning slightly before looking up with lust filled eyes._

_"Will they not realise the connection to you?" asked Harry breathily, feeling ridiculous that such simple ministrations could have such an affect on him._

_Tom chuckled, seeing his annoyance with himself. "Those clever enough to realise this will never think about going against their Lord."_

_"Is this how you change your features then?"_

_"Yes, I fashioned one in my youth, only Lucius and Bellatrix know the significance of it however," replied Tom, holding up a similar pendant, except the stone was jet black._

_"Thank you," said Harry, as Tom handed him the pendant._

_"Here let me help," Tom undid the ties and went behind Harry, he could feel his lover's breath ghosting on his skin, smiling when Tom planted a kiss on the back of his neck where the ties rested._

* * *

Looking at the pendant, he saw now that Tom had replaced the obsidian stone with a brilliant emerald and he tried not to smile. Now was not the time to get sentimental.

The rest of the Death Eaters looked at him in awe. He supposed his brightened eyes and fangs would intimidate them a little. It was funny to watch them squirm. Raising his head higher, he passed through the ranks, catching Tom's eye before he kneeled at his feet.

"Evan Harris, do you pledge yourself to the Dark, both body and soul?" asked Tom, his voice coming out as a hiss, caressing the name they had decided upon. It felt right.

"Yes, My Lord," replied Harry, feeling Tom's magic dance around him, binding him to the magical contract.

"Will you rule alongside me as consort to the Dark Lord?" he could hear Tom trying not to laugh at the ripple that went through the Death Eaters as they heard this question. He was surprised however, when Tom had said he would be initiated differently he had never imagined this. That said, he felt pleased that Tom would put so much faith in him.

"Yes, My Lord," said Harry, feeling the magic now coat him, making his skin tingle slightly, pleased at his answer.

"Arise, Lord Émeraude," he felt his magic respond, joining with Tom's and sealing the magical contract.

His stood up fluidly, the magic in the air making his robes swirl around him. His eyes were glowing brighter than ever and he bared his fangs into a triumphant smile. The Death Eaters were awed, but he caught a few at the back whispering, their tone indicating that they were not convinced. His frowned slightly, Tom heard it too for he bristled.

"If anyone wishes to challenge Lord Émeraude do so now," hissed Tom, looking at everyone in attendance. Harry heard the murmuring cease, however he knew that it would take more than that to dispel the dissent.

"My Lord, I feel a demonstration is in order," he said, surveying the sea of faces, some sceptical and some still awed.

"As you wish Evan," replied Tom, moving to the other end of the stage and Harry to the other. They bowed, never losing eye contact. A hush fell on the room at this unexpected display. Many were vying to get better seats, getting to see their Lords battle one another.

"One. Two. Three," said Harry slowly.

They pounced, Harry side-stepped the jet of red light, returning a blue one that pulsated. Narrowly missing it, Tom weaved a complex pattern and Harry felt constricted, as if someone was applying pressure to him and trying to squeeze him out of existence. Focusing, he imagined being free, stretching luxuriously and felt the curse shatter, falling around him like glass as the magic was torn apart. He heard the Death Eaters gasp and smirked, revelling in the power he had over these fools.

Planting his wand in the ground he hissed _"Terra scinda"_. Jagged gashes formed in the ground, moving rapidly towards Tom who stepped aside, holding his hand up to signal they had finished. Repairing the damage, Harry watched the cuts heal themselves before turning to their audience.

"As you can see, Lord Émeraude can handle himself well. Do not question him, I will not protect you from his wrath. I shall call you within the coming weeks. Dismissed," hissed Tom, his eyes glowing slightly as the room was filled with the sounds of sharp cracks, the Death Eaters apparating away, not wanting to linger behind.

Once everyone was gone except themselves, Blaise and Lysander, Tom touched his pendant, hissing softly before reverting back to himself.

"That went well, I am sure there will be a few Death Eaters foolish enough to challenge you, do what you will to them, just don't kill them," said Tom, a smiling pulling at his lips.

"So when you call us will this burn?" asked Lysander, staring at his Dark Mark.

"No, it shall merely heat up. It only burns when I feel particularly angry at certain followers," replied Tom.

"Unless they are wimps," added Harry, grinning at his friends.

"Right we better head back to school, Draco will be waiting," said Blaise, casting a tempus and revealing the time to be just after ten.

"You guys go on ahead, I need to speak with Tom for a minute," said Harry, seeing them search his face, wondering of there was more to it than he said. Finding nothing, they nodded and Phased on the spot.

"What is the matter Harry?" asked Tom, sitting on the stone steps leading up to the platform.

"I hadn't known you planned to make me a Lord," said Harry, taking a seat next to him.

"It seemed... fitting. I do not want them to underestimate you, this just seemed the best way," said Tom, twining their hands together. Harry smiled at the simple gesture.

"What does 'consort' mean exactly?"

"It means many things, the definition I chose is partner," replied Tom.

"Does that mean romantically?" Harry remembered the reaction of the Death Eaters.

"Yes," he could hear the smirk in Tom's voice, "Now what is on your mind? Normally I can tell but your thoughts are changing too rapidly. Something about your friends I think?"

"I told Ron and Hermione about us," said Harry after a pause, waiting for the explosion.

"Why did you not ask me first?" Tom asked a moment later, his voice simmered with suppressed anger. Harry never knew if this was better or worse.

"I wanted to get it over and done with. Ron has agreed to remain neutral, whilst Hermione wishes to do more research and then decide her allegiance. I believe she will turn to us however," replied Harry quickly, trying to calm Tom down.

"Their simple minds are not the problem. Dumbledore is one of the best legilimens in the world. If he even gets a hint of what they know then you have placed them in danger," spat Tom, standing up and pacing rapidly.

"I, I never realised," stammered Harry, feeling like a lead weight had dropped into his stomach. He had placed his friends in danger. The one thing he hadn't wanted to do and he had done it. Admittedly unknowing the full consequences, but still the damage was done.

"You'll have to bring them to me, we can set up memory blocks that should keep Dumbledore away. Give me a few days, I'll have to find a way to make them unnoticeable or that will raise more suspicion," said Tom, his voice still sharp.

"Will it hurt them?"

"What? No, they will be fine," said Tom distractedly, still pacing but slowing down slightly.

"I'll see you in a few days then," said Harry, seeing Tom was too deep in thought to want company. He was met with silence and Phased away, doubting that Tom would even know he was gone.

* * *

"Harry! How was it?" whispered Hermione when he clambered into the Common Room. They had used the same excuse he had with them and now many thought he was working on some top secret thing for Dumbledore. It would amuse him if he wasn't facing seven types of guilt and losing badly.

"What's wrong mate?" asked Ron, looking up from his essay - okay he had written the title but that was pretty good for Ron.

"He said I had placed you in danger by telling you about this," said Harry, to anyone else he would be talking about Dumbledore.

"How?" asked Hermione, closing her textbook with a thud.

"He can read your mind, see what I've told you," said Harry, trying hard to keep it ambiguous.

"What's going to happen?" asked Ron, looking a mixture of concerned and grateful that he never had to do his essay.

"He wants to meet you, to put up memory blocks. They should distract anyone attempting to read your mind."

"Was it okay?" asked Hermione, concern flashing in her eyes.

"He's angry at me for not telling him that I was telling you, but I think he'll calm down eventually," muttered Harry.

"Did he..." Ron trailed off, throwing Harry a meaningful glance.

"No, he was just really sharp, I deserved it," replied Harry quickly.

"Harry, we are glad we know. Regardless of the consequences it is better this way for us," said Hermione.

"So when does he want to do this?" asked Ron, looking back down at his essay, trying to avoid the emotional talk.

"He said it will take him a few days to come up with something strong enough. I'll let you know," answered Harry, standing up. He never felt in the mood for company right now, they saw this and let him go upstairs, giving him a quick "goodnight" before he disappeared.

Lying in his bed, he tossed and turned unable to get to sleep. When he closed his eyes he saw Tom's angry face, his friends being persecuted because of information he gave them. He knew that they would have found out eventually without him telling him. However, that never stopped the shame washing over him. He had disappointed Tom. Rubbing his fingers over his pendant, he sighed, wishing he had done things differently.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I was quite happy with this chapter, for once I never had to think what happened next! That said, I am surprised about Tom making Harry a Lord alongside him. Sometimes I swear these characters taken control, I did consider deleting that part but I thought it through and don't see any problems with it :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._

_I apologise for any grammar and/or spelling mistakes contained within this chapter._

_Please Review!_


	21. Chapter 20: Hunger

_'In the very temple of delight veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine.'_  
_~ John Keats_

* * *

The sky was now darkened, winter winds howling like starved wolves against the windows, bringing with them the icy mists that clung to the castle's walls like cobwebs. He never cared however, his senses making him impervious to the worst of the malicious elements. His green eyes were troubled as he walked for the third time in front of the blank stone wall. A door appeared, spreading like moss over the aged bricks, and allowing him passage to his safe haven. A week had gone by since the meeting and still there had been no contact. To make him feel worse Professor Fairchild kept glancing at him during lessons, concern swirling in her deep purple eyes, only to be replaced in an instant with impassivity when she saw he was looking. The elf was annoying him. It was obvious that she knew what had happened with him and Tom. Then again he supposed it wouldn't be hard to join the dots if one were privy to the information she was.

Ron and Hermione were also getting on his nerves, at least Blaise and Lysander knew to leave him alone. He guessed it had something to do with them being Gryffindors. What the Lions had in loyalty and bravery they severely lacked in subtlety. If they had maybe just left him alone, worried when he wasn't in earshot it would have been tolerable. What he couldn't stand was having them break off in conversation when he entered a room, their guilty expression only confirming the topic they were discussing.

Firing another hex at the dummy, he watched with grim satisfaction as it crumbled to dust. The lack of training from Tom had made his magic restless. Holding back in classes never helped either, and that coupled with the stress of having possibly made his friends targets and Tom's silence was driving him to the Room of Requirement. He was almost thankful to Umbridge, without her he would never had discovered it. Here he could let his magic free, and he smiled as the air crackled, charged with the raw power that was emanating from his core.

It also distracted him from the hunger.

Ever since their argument it was as if he couldn't feed anymore. He could feel the need for blood, but the want was gone. It hurt, but he couldn't help but think he deserved it. He had brought everything down on his friends, mixed them up in business that never even involved their species. They noticed his discomfort. At meal times he would push his food about his plate, eating little and trying to make the rest appear as small as possible. Lysander had tried to talk to him about it, but he had brushed the blonde off, giving him evasive answers that he knew only made him more suspicious.

Conjuring up another dummy, he wearily sent a cutting curse at it, severing one of it's limbs. He felt the magic drain out of him even more at the small curse. Growling slightly, he threw another curse at the dummy, feeling again the magic release from his system. He was getting weaker as his energy was sapped to keep his vital organs functioning. It had been over two weeks since he had last fed. Normally this was insignificant, but the blood of the animals he drank from last where low in magical content to the point where it was virtually non-existent and so only sustained him for a few days. Although the magical training helped him ignore it, it never took away the fatigue or the pain he felt. It was constant, but he had felt worse before and so it was almost manageable. Almost.

"It won't take it away," the melodic voice floated throughout the room. He bristled, turning to face Demeter.

"I never heard you come in Professor," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm.

"I am adept at silence, one of the benefits of my species is the ability of stealth," she replied, sitting in one of the few armchairs littered about the room. He never knew why they were there, perhaps the room sensed his fatigue. Certainly it wasn't conscious, he came here for duelling and that was all.

"Might I inquire as to why you are here?" his voice took on the formal tone, reminding him of his conversation with Nimthîriel. Normally this never bothered him, but now he felt annoyance seep into his gut.

"Merely to check up on you. You have not been with your friends as of late and it is concerning," she smiled at him with an almost dazed look reminiscent of Luna. It made her more approachable and he hated it. Instead of replying he sent an orb of flame at dummy, feeling it release from his fingers and set his opponent on fire before extinguishing it with water. He tried not to show how much these spells drained him as he conjured up another dummy.

"Your performance in class has been declining."

He tried to ignore her, instead opting to petrify the dummy.

"Exhausting yourself will not make it better."

He blew off its leg, watching as it toppled to the floor.

"When was the last time you fed?"

He cut it up, relishing as he diced it, caught up in the moment as the power coursed through him. Feeling long fingers curl round his arm, he wrenched away, only for the room to spin from the sudden movement. Reaching out wildly, he crashed heavily onto an armchair, feeling the wood splinter as it took his whole weight. Mercifully he never blacked out, fighting with his heavy lids and winning for a change. Unfortunately, he couldn't move. It was like all his strength had evaporated, turning his muscles to jelly. Demeter must have seen this, for he felt himself being levitated onto one of the rare couches.

"When was the last time you fed?" he felt something, oddly like water, coat him. It tingled like a diagnostic spell and he gathered it was an Elven equivalent.

"Over two weeks ago," he managed, thankful that his vocals hadn't been impaired.

"What was it?"

"A deer… I think?" Darkness was coming back slowly, clouding the edge of his vision and trying to conquer his sight.

"Hmm, why have you not fed since then?" her voice was almost clinical, impassive and concise. Giving the meaning directly and wasting no time for emotion.

"I… couldn't," he croaked, fighting vehemently against the dark fog which was now infiltrating his mind, cushioning his thoughts and making him feel as if he was underwater and she above.

"We need to get you to Tom," Demeter's purple eyes shone for a moment with aged wisdom, displaying many centuries of knowledge in the dark irises. Harry, however, was tempted to ignore this because of one thing: Pride. He never wanted to return to Tom with his tail between his legs because of his own stupid weaknesses.

Sheer stubbornness brought him to his feet. Staggering to the door, he grabbed the handle, straining to turn the brass knob. It was if his strength had left him as quick as it had come. Determination alone could not drive someone for long. The small flame of defiance burning in his being flickered for a moment, and a flicker was all it needed. He felt himself fall, heard the molecules of air rush past him as he displaced them. Dimly, he was aware of someone touch him, icy coldness creeping up his arm and then he fell into nothingness.

* * *

"Of all the moronic things to do he had to do this?" the voice broke through to his consciousness, creating a tear in the blanket of sleep that was draped over his mind.

"Hush Tom, none of us could have foreseen this. He is young, I remember a time when you were just as foolish," the soothing voice had to be Alderan.

"I was never like _that_!" spat Tom.

"Tom, do not take you anger at yourself out on others. If my hearing is correct then he woke up a few seconds ago," his gentle tone contrasted sharply with Tom's irate one, and Harry almost wanted to crawl once more into sleep. Anything to avoid what was fast becoming inevitable.

"Harry?" gone was the anger, only replaced with quiet concern. It calmed Harry's raging heart, making him feel a little hopeful that Tom desired his presence.

"Give him a moment," said Alderan.

His time had ran out and, reluctantly, Harry opened his eyes. He was greeted with a dimmed room, a candle burning on the bedside cabinet the only source of light. Tom was kneeling next to him, an unidentifiable emotion smouldering in his blue eyes as they carefully searched his face for any hint of discomfort.

"Where am I?" he croaked, clearing his throat and trying again.

"You are home," answered Alderan simply. Looking around Harry became aware that he wasn't in Hogwarts anymore. Then the word 'home' registered and he felt his muscles relax slightly. He was back at the castle. In his room. Safe.

"Won't they miss me?" asked Harry, worry coiling in his gut at the consequences this seemingly unimportant action could have caused.

"No, remember vampyres perceive time differently. It has been only fifteen minutes since you collapsed in the Room of Requirement," answered Alderan, "Now, please excuse me, I must attend to Demeter, she shall provide an alibi at the school should you stay long enough to arouse suspicion." With that he swept from the room, leaving Harry alone with Tom.

Turning his attention to him, he realised that his lover seemed frozen. His eyes in constant motion but otherwise the rest of him was still. Reaching out, he tentatively cupped his face and Tom nuzzled into his hand, the spell broken at his touch.

"I am sorry," Harry heard him murmur.

"What for?" there was genuine curiosity in his tone. It made no sense that Tom would be apologising. Harry had been the one that had endangered everything. Personally he felt he had deserved this.

"I was a fool and should not have taken my anger out on you. I should have known you would want to tell your friends and prepared as such. Instead you took me by surprise, something that has not been achieved for many, many years," Tom's voice was slightly pained, and Harry could see he had a tight hold of his emotions.

"I… I don't understand, what happened?"

"I never realised that you would take it so badly. I shouldn't have let my temper get away from me like that. You had to have infusions of my blood to recover," said Tom quietly, rolling up his sleeve and showing the angry red bite marks.

"I don't remember..." Harry tried to think back, but the last thing he remembered was collapsing at Hogwarts.

"You were barely conscious," growled Tom, Harry saw the anger flash in his eyes.

"I just over reacted, I should have consulted with you first," he countered.

"You weren't the only one who over reacted. I haven't slept in a week" whispered Tom. Looking at him, Harry could see the dark bruise-like semi-circles under his eyes. He looked a mess, but his mind wouldn't let him linger on it too long, jumping onto the next train of thought and making him slightly dizzy. Euphoria coursed through his veins, and logically he should be feeling concerned, but it was as if he couldn't control his emotions.

"Have you ever heard of counting sheep?'" asked Harry, a grin playing about his lips.

"Are you alright?" asked Tom, his eyes narrowing slightly, no doubt hearing his befuddled thoughts.

"Dear God I can't imagine being forced to live with you for centuries! You fuss so much!" laughed Harry, it was rather humorous now that he thought of it. Judging from the worry in his lover's eyes, he was alone in thinking this.

"I shall blame that remark on the mood swings you will be feeling at this moment. It has been too long since you properly fed, and so your body will once again have to become used to the rush," replied Tom, the corners of his lips twitching as he struggled to maintain a straight face.

"Just because you are a grouch half the time does not mean everyone else is! There is such a thing as being happy for the sake of it," said Harry, squashing the little voice that said it was probably responsible for his unpredictable emotions.

"Now, I believe there are a few things we need to discuss, namely your friends."

Just like that his good mood was gone.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I wanted to try and introduce Demeter a little more in this chapter, I know I never explained much about her in the beginning but she really is just there for extra protection. That said I wanted to make her a little more prominent and try to flesh her out a bit more :) This is the forth draft of this, at first I had made Harry and Tom's scene a lot more serious, but then I wanted to give them some levity and re-wrote it twice before this one was created. I quite liked writing 'high' Harry...  
_

_ I don't know when I'm going to update next as I have exams coming up - in fact the quote at the start of the chapter is from one of the texts I'm studying... that counts as revision, right? That said I'll try not to leave it for too long.  
_

_11/5/11: It was brought to my attention that in the previous chapter Tom said it would take a few days to help Harry's friends. However, given the nature of his research it has taken longer than he had anticipated hence this chapter is set a week since the meeting. Sorry if there was any confusion, this will be addressed more fully in the next chapter :)  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes._

_Please Review!_


	22. Chapter 21: Plans

_'Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.'_  
_~ Albert Schweitzer_

* * *

Harry contented himself with knotting the blankets, twisting the fabric in his hands, and relishing the smooth feel of it beneath his fingertips. As far as distractions went it was working, and then Tom perched next to him, obliterating all thought - not that there was much going on to begin with.

"Harry, stop avoiding me," Tom's voice was sharp, and Harry looked up, his gaze meeting deep blue eyes, filled with concern and urgency. Glancing back at the bedding, he felt Tom's fingers curl round his chin, and force him to meet his eyes. "We must focus on the present, and learn from the past."

Harry mulled Tom's words over in his mind. Yes, he had been stupid, but this mistake was surely reversible, and at least his friends knew, and accepted him for who he was. That alone was worth the discomfort both had went through in the past week. Straightening himself up, he smoothed the creases in his robes in a very Tom-like manner, and his mentor's lips twitched at this.

"You said that it would take you a few days, what happened?" Harry felt as if he had a block of ice in his stomach asking this. So far he had just assumed Tom could fix everything, the powerful vampyre certainly gave that impression.

What if this time was different?

Thankfully, an aspect of Tom was that he never minced his words. "It was harder than I expected, but I have found a solution. Memories have distinct impressions, and it is possible to separate the Light thoughts from the Dark thoughts due to this. This is one technique used by Auror's to judge the affinity of wizards they hold in custody, and you tend to find that those who are deemed Dark, receive harsher penalties than those deemed Light," Tom's voice turned acidic here, and his eyes flashed dangerously, but after a few seconds he composed himself and started again, "Now, if we mask the impressions the memories generate, then there will be no reason for Dumbledore to know anything's amiss."

"Will this be similar to the purification ritual I went through?" asked Harry, a fond smile forming on his features as he remembered that one, blissful moment in the Elvin glade.

"In a way, however, I will be the one performing the magic, since this requires a skilled legilimens, and whilst the elves focus on mind magic, they do not to this degree," replied Tom smoothly.

"Are you sure you want to do that? What if Hermione decides to stay Light?" These questions came pouring out before he could stop them, Tom meanwhile looked as unruffled as ever, and Harry should have known he had already came up with a plan for this outcome.

"Then I will have to use a memory charm," Tom's words broached no argument, and for once Harry never had one. He had realised as soon as he told them that this was a possible outcome. However, hearing Tom say it as if it was inconsequential wounded him slightly, and despite having seen this before, this was the first time he saw the cold, battle hardened leader of the Dark whilst in their perspnal time, and it hammered it home how real this was.

He was helping wage a war.

The idea, a few months ago would certainly have been ludicrous. The fact that it was on the side of the Dark even more so. But here, in his bedroom, it seemed perfectly rational, justified even.

The weight of Tom's gaze brought him back to the present, and he nodded, giving his assent to rob his two best friends of their memories should their decision not aid their plight...

"Harry, I'm sorry," and just like that, the serious moment faded, and they became just Harry and Tom once more.

"I understand," whispered Harry, running his fingers through Tom's hair, and a smile of both awe and contentment appeared when Tom leaned into his touch, his eyes closing, and his face looking more relaxed than Harry had seen it in a while. Experimenting, he imagined his magic was coating him, feeling a pleasantly warm sensation coat his extremities, and journeying down to his fingertips. He knew the moment it reached the very edge of his fingertips, for Tom let out a satisfied moan, his eyes snapping open, and peering at Harry with a half dazed expression. Tentatively he felt Tom's magic reach out to his, touching once or twice before taking the plunge. The feeling was indescribable. He felt wave, after wave of pleasure crash over him. It wasn't overwhelming, but just right, and as Tom lowered himself next to him, they just lay there, the sound of their breathing filling the small space. Magic pulsed around them, entwining, and if Harry looked closely enough he could see the sparkles in the air as they combined, glittering over their exposed skin, and clothes.

Looking at Tom, he saw the openness that only he was privy to, and grinned, running his fingertips down his face, mapping out the pale expanse of skin, that many thought would be so cold. Hearing an appreciative purr, Harry's grin widened, but before he could press an advantage, Tom's long fingers curled round his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. Mischief danced in his eyes, and Harry gulped audibly, his nerves only growing as he found himself pinned, and Tom gazing directly down at him, holding him in place with both his body, and his stare.

The next thing he knew he was being kissed, and Harry gasped as their magic connected more intimately, studying each other's cores as well as each others mouths. Running his fingers through Tom's hair again, Harry reached down to the nape of his neck, feeling the leather band that kept his hair in place, before finally resting on the top of his spine. Tom's hands were meanwhile roaming down his sides, and Harry squirmed when he reached a particularly ticklish spot. Feeling Tom grin against his mouth, the elder man broke the kiss, instead journeying South, licking and biting the expanse of skin between his jaw and his collarbone, beforeoce more returning to his mouth.

Harry felt his magic spread, heightening with his pleasure, and he struggled against Tom, rolling them over so that he was on top.

Now it was his turn.

Trailing butterfly kisses along his jaw, he felt a little bit of his magic spread at each touch, and soon Tom was writhing, the muscles in his neck standing out as he strained against Harry's hold. Both were panting, and Harry's hands crept to his waistcoat, unbuttoning it slowly, and running his hands over Tom's shirt covered chest, the material getting in the way, and sending a small spark of annoyance through his system. Next thing he knew it was raining buttons, and he held the shredded remains of the offending garment.

"That was quite an expensive shirt," muttered Tom, arching an eyebrow at Harry, his composure having momentarily returned.

"In the way," said Harry, semi-coherently, his eyes raking over the defined muscles, and pale skin of Tom's chest.

Very soon, Tom lost the ability for anymore remarks, and not long after that, so did Harry.

* * *

Harry only managed to sleep for a few hours. When he awoke, the first thing he heard was the sound of Tom's heartbeat, slow, and steady, and he lay there for a few minutes, relishing the sound of another life form. Becoming restless, he looked up, his eyes pouring over Tom's face, and he wondered if he was the only one to have seen him like this. Vulnerable, and content, two things he doubted Tom had felt at the same time before.

It was dark outside. The moon flitted through the gap in the curtains, the cold light so very far away from the warmth of the bed.

Stretching, he felt Tom move beside him, first a groan, and then a yawn signalling that he too had awoken.

"Harry?" Tom's speech was thick, and Harry looked to his sleepy eyed lover, and fond smile forming involuntarily on his face.

"Tom, go back to sleep, you need your rest," Harry saw Tom open his mouth to argue, and Harry placed a finger over his lips to silence him, "I'll tell Ron and Hermione the plan, and if they agree I will bring them to the Room of Requirement-"

"They need to come here," interrupted Tom, "I cannot let my defences down in the Fortress of the Light. I have already spoken to Alderan about this, and he has given his permission as long as we do not leave them unattended, or let them see the main areas of operation in the castle."

"I will bring them at noon, and give you word beforehand. Now, sleep," ordered Harry, grateful when Tom never put up a fight, merely flopping back onto the pillows in probably the most ungraceful move Harry had seen him do so far.

Throwing his unconscious lover one last look, Harry Phased, his joy from earlier quickly evaporating when he acknowledged the task before him.

* * *

_A/N: Finally! After goodness knows how long my inspiration has returned! I know I said I would try and have another chapter in the summer, but over the past months my life has gone through various upheavals, and I never had time to give this story the amount of work that is needed. Nevertheless, I apologise that it has taken this long, and if any of you are still with me I would be overjoyed to hear from you, and thank you for sticking with me and this story. This chapter is short, but I realised we hadn't had a Tom/Harry moment for quite a few chapters, and so it - like this chapter - was long overdue. The next chapter will be longer, with Ron and Hermione meeting Tom for the first time, and it should hopefully be up next week :) I hope you enjoyed this, and I really would appreciate a review!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter *sigh*_

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter._


	23. Chapter 22: Cards On The Table

_'What could be more convincing, moreover, than the gesture of laying one's cards face up on the table?'  
~Jacques Lacan_

* * *

It was evening by the time he returned to Hogwarts. The lights of the castle glimmered in the darkness, and every now and then he saw a shadow cross one of them, proof that there was indeed life in the old building. Dimly, he heard a wolf howl from deep within the bowels of the forest, but his pace did not quicken. He needed to clear his head, formulate the words he was going to use to try and convince Ron and Hermione to trust him, the fact he wasn't very eloquent in the first place was severely hindering him.

Walking past, his eyes were drawn to the Whomping Willow. He remembered clambering out that with Sirius, and the resulting chaos that followed. Ron and Hermione had stuck by his side all the way through that, and all the way through since... But would this time be different? Sucking in a deep breath, Harry desperately hoped it wouldn't be, that Hermione would either pick his side or be neutral like Ron. As much as he supported Tom's cause, he did not want to have Hermione on the other end of his wand.

The sound of his footfalls were silent as he crossed the courtyard, moving swiftly up the steps to the entrance. Now within the castle walls, he never felt safe, but he never felt scared either, and only now did he really feel everything setting in his mind. It was disturbing at best, as it meant he truly had picked a side now. There was no turning back.

"I wondered when you would get back," Harry heard Lysander's soft voice, all hint of jest gone, and he wheeled around, only to see the blonde vampyre walking towards him. To others it would just look as if he had ran into him by chance, but Harry knew he had been waiting for him, and he tried to mould his expression into an uncaring one.

"If you wanted to join me on my walk you should have just asked," said Harry, in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone. Lysander's raised eyebrow clearly showed that he had failed epically.

"If you needed to talk you should have asked," retorted Lysander.

"I know that," Harry's voice was colder than he intended, and Lysander's eyes seemed to frost over, taking the temperature down a few degrees.

"My reason for being here is to help you, you are making this more difficult that it has to be," hissed the blonde, his normally laidback aura was now crackling dangerously, and Harry realised that Demeter must have said something to him to invoke a reaction of this scale.

"Now this isn't going to help," Luna's voice drifted between them, and sense returned, both men backing down.

"Next time I have a problem, I will talk to you, just don't expect me to tell you everything," compromised Harry, and visibly his friend relaxed, his posture becoming more open as the seconds passed.

"Well yes, there are some things I don't need to hear," replied Lysander with a wink, the easy banter back between the two, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Lysander was just concerned, it was understandable, and he relaxed his defensive stance.

"We'll see how open I feel," winked Harry, as the tanned vampyre blanched.

"Now, Harry, I believe you were going to talk to your friends," Luna for once injected reality into the conversation.

"How do you know that?" he couldn't help but ask. If it was that obvious, how had Dumbledore not realised, and tried to brainwash him back to the Light?

"Your aura is bright red," replied Luna vaguely, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Harry threw Lysander a grateful look, but Luna shot his hopes down in flames.

"No, Harry has to do this on his own. We'll leave you now, Lysander, I believe Blaise is wondering where you are," and Lysander looked helplessly at Harry as she dragged him back the way he came.

Alone once more, Harry quickly made his way through the silent castle, most of the populace in the Great Hall, the sounds of the many knives and forks scrapping the gold plate, and the incessant chatter audible even through the large oak doors. Taking one of the many staircases, he moved away from these ear-splitting sounds, and once giving the password to a somewhat concerned Fat Lady, he was in the Gryffindor Common room, and face to face with his best friends.

This wasn't unexpected. Over the past few days, they had noticed him missing a few meals here and there, it was only a matter of time before they ambushed him. Harry hid a smirk at the cunningness of it. How very Slytherin.

"Mate, where have you been?" Ron started the dialogue, his face etched with concern, and Harry felt a stab of remorse that he'd let his friends suffer when he himself was being so foolish.

"I was..." he trailed off, glancing around quickly to see if they were indeed alone. Hermione seeing this muttered _'colloportus'_ and_ 'muffliato'_under her breath, and looking up towards the dormitories, he saw thin threads of light slither up the seams of the doors.

"You were_ there_, weren't you Harry," he couldn't tell if there was any disappointment in her tone, but in her eyes Curiosity and Sadness were dancing, and Curiosity was quickly taking the lead.

"I was," he said again, less uncertain than the first.

"Are you alright? Blimey, the change in you..." Ron trailed off, and Harry knew he meant his rejuvenated appearance and not his vampyrism.

"Yes, I just needed a little help with something," answered Harry vaguely, and mentally he congratulated Tom. The heir had survived in Hogwarts without anyone knowing, he hadn't even lasted a term! It was quite depressing really.

"Harry," Hermione had her 'no nonsense' voice on, and Harry tried not to look at his feet, although he was amused when Ron did, "You are not going to sway us by being vague, give us the details again, and then we'll decide."

Sighing deeply, he motioned for them to sit in front of the fireplace. They took the couch, presenting a look of solidarity, whilst he took one of the armchairs.

"There has been another prophecy, in this one, it states that if Tom and I do not work together, then the wizarding world will fall. This has bound us together, and he has trained me until now I can sometimes beat him," Harry let a small smile escape, "The two realms, the Light, and Dark, are not meant to meddle in the wizarding world. The Light got around this with Dumbledore as their puppet, the Dark with Tom. The Light soon began to take over, swaying those against the Dark, you've seen it in ministry campaigns, and the balance between the magicks started to shift. I am just trying to restore the order, and Fate wants that too, but with our inaction, the Dark will cease to exist, and the wizarding world will be ruined."

"And did Tom agree to a meeting to back this up?" asked Hermione, and Harry could already see she was half convinced, his story matching up with last time, in what her memories of the 'Old Harry' would tell her would be impossible if he was lying. As it was, the evidence the prejudices the Light had shown in recent years did back it up quite a bit, along with the treatment of Lupin that was particularly close to Hermione's heart.

"Yes, but now, since I have told you this, Dumbledore can find out, and you are in danger. Memories give-"

"Certain impressions that can indicate if they are Light or Dark," interrupted Hermione, "I read up on mind magic when you had to do your Occlumency lessons," she added sheepishly.

"Exactly," he confirmed, glad she would see the reasoning behind this next bit, "I never knew this, and so when Tom told me he was naturally angry-"

"This prophecy has linked you together, you couldn't drink because you had unbalanced it, and it made you suffer until you got back to him. This is absolutely fascinating!" interrupted Hermione again, Sadness totally eradicated now, and Curiosity practically doing a victory lap.

"Er... Thanks, Hermione, that's about it," Harry felt it best to use the prophecy as an excuse, and not the fact that he was in love with the Dark Lord, although he did wonder of there was something to it. Hmm, he would need to ask Tom. "Anyway," he continued eventually, "With the change there comes certain abilities. Tom's was legilimency, and he needs to mask the impressions these memories emit."

"Voldemort is going inside our heads!" yelled Ron. Harry had been waiting for something like this, and merely gave Ron a weary look.

"If you want, he can do it to me first, and then you can see you'll come to no harm," said Harry evenly.

"Will we be going to the Dark realm?" asked Hermione, nerves creeping into her voice for the first time.

"If you want to find out the truth, then yes," replied Harry, and he saw her resolve become firm in the face of getting facts.

"Now?" The tone of her voice already told Harry he had her on board, and he nodded.

Ron, seeing he had no choice exclaimed loudly, "Well lets bloody get it over with then!"

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I'm overjoyed that so many of you are still with me :D I'm really sorry about replying to reviews, my life has been hectic just now, and I've had an epic powercut so I couldn't get on my laptop. I know this chapter is short, but there should be another at the weekend which should be longer, originally it was part of this one, until I realised that there would be too many things covered in one chapter! I hope you've enjoyed this one, and to my old readers that your memories of the other characters are refreshed - I'll admit I had to look back to get a better idea of how I portrayed everyone - and I would really appreciate it if you review, I will try and reply this time :)_

_NOTE: If this is unsatisfactory, I can do a re-write, I'm exhausted, so I apologise if it is.  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter :(_

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter._


	24. Chapter 23: Trust

Harry hid a smirk when he saw Hermione's dazed expression as she took in the castle. Dark clouds had gathered around it, caressing the aged walls, and seeming to support them as well. The wrought iron gate stood tall and proud, shimmering slightly in the unwavering light of the moon. Owls hooted, the cries coming from one of the sparse trees that lined the cobbled path they were now standing on, and all around them the world was still. It wasn't hard to tell this was another realm.

Ron seemed to notice this, and a 'Blimey' fell off his lips, piercing the stillness of the night.

The gates glowed, darkness seemingly melting off the metal, but not dripping, and succumbing to gravity, the droplets merely formed the outline of a man, before the gates dissolved into mist, and allowed him passage through. Harry suppressed a laugh at Hermione's gasp, and seconds later, Tom appeared, his eyes glittering like sapphires, cold and aloof.

He was pale, his complexion glowing brighter than the gates behind him, bleached by the lunar light. The buttons from his waistcoat shined, adding colour to the darkened expanse, and the sharp click of his boots, as they quickly ate up the distance between them.

"I believe you promised a warning, Harry," said Tom silkily.

"Surprise!" muttered Harry weakly, to which Tom merely raised an eyebrow, his face remaining like it was carved from stone.

"Now, Ron, Hermione, Alderan, Lord of the realm has given you permission to enter. However, there are set rules. You cannot wander, there are things in this castle not meant for mortals, and it would be in your best interests to stay with Harry and myself," Tom's voice was pure business, and Harry could see his friends taking it in, slightly awed, but also, thankfully, understanding.

"Of course, we understand," replied Hermione, and Harry was impressed at how firm her voice was. Tom it appeared was too, for he smiled, just a twitch of the lips, but a smile nonetheless.

"Walk through the gate, you saw my entrance, it cannot hurt you, but the conditions are that you must be accompanied by both Harry and I," Tom turned, and Harry followed, with Ron and Hermione by his side. Hermione stared in awe, placing her hand through one of the bars, and her eyes glittering as it went right through, Ron uttered another 'Blimey,' and Tom got impatient, nodding to Harry who nudged them through.

The courtyard was quiet, candles in brackets illuminated the way up to the entrance. A figure stood in the doorway, the aged stance making Harry realise this was Nairne.

"Nairne, what is your business here?" asked Tom, marching up the steps, and standing before the old vampyre.

"This is highly unorthodox, Tom," came the critical reply.

"And it is also none of your concern. If you would kindly get out of our way, instead of hindering us like a blithering fool, then it will be over with, and you need not fret," Tom's voice grew dangerous at the end, and Nairne looked at him, his dark eyes sparkling with indignation, but remained silent, instead stepping sideways and letting them pass.

"What does he do here?" asked Harry, He had heard of the vampyre before, but never actually knew his purpose in the castle.

"He is the librarian. He is our font of knowledge in the ancient way... and some more useless facts," Tom's tone clearly showed he never really liked the man that much, and Harry had to agree.

Moving into the duelling arena, Harry grinned at Ron and Hermione's reaction to the cushioning charms. He himself indulged in a small bounce, and he saw Tom roll his eyes, moving away from the cold professionalism for a moment. Harry smirked back, getting another eye roll in return.

It was strange how being in Tom's chambers felt like coming home. As he sat down on the couch, he leaned back, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

Then he remembered who was there.

"Er... mate?" asked Ron, shuffling his feet, and putting on his 'This is really awkward' stance.

"Such a Gryffindor," teased Tom, and Harry glared at him.

"I believe you are outnumbered," retorted Harry, thankful that Tom had loosened up now they were in his territory so to speak.

"And I believe you need my help," Harry blanched at that, glancing up at his friends. Ron looked a little puzzled, and Hermione thoughtful.

"They want you to do it to me first as an example," Tom looked slightly impressed at this, and he smiled a little.

"Clever move. Ron, Hermione, I give you my oath as a wizard, and a Lord of this realm that I will not harm you, however, if a demonstration is your wish, then we shall now proceed," Tom was business-like again, and sat next to Harry, before gesturing to Ron and Hermione, "Please, take a seat, this will not take long."

"Thank you," they said together, both occupying the armchairs on either side of the fireplace, and it was then Harry knew Tom had anticipated pretty much all of their behaviour so far, although whether he expected his expectations to actually come to fruition was another matter entirely.

"Now, Harry, I want you to imagine two doors, one Light, and one Dark. Behind these doors lie your memories. Open the Dark door, and cross over, I will not be far behind," Tom's voice was gentle, lulling him into another state of consciousness. He could hear Ron and Hermione's steady breathing, the brush of Tom's lips as he spoke… Crossing through, he imagined the cold feel of the brass door handle, and opened it, feeling Tom's presence behind him, shadowing him, and following his every move.

Beyond the door there was chaos. A stream of memory was coiled, forever moving in an endless array of images. The room - if it was a room - contained no walls, and the memory snake seemed to go on forever, in a cycle that was awe inspiring. Placing a finger in the river, he watched as a few memories come to the surface_... Tom in his room, telling him he was in stage three, and the vampyrism was advancing too quickly... Alderan apologising when he helped complete the transformation... Lysander talking to him about fighting a room of werewolves..._

_'Focus Harry!'_

It should have been disconcerting hearing Tom's voice in his mind, but he couldn't help it. The memories glittered, like scales from a giant snake, blinding him with their tainted beauty. Dipping his finger in once more, new sights greeted him_... The Elvin ritual... The gentle lap of the water in the pond... Tom's hands massaging daisy oil into his back... Their first kiss... The prophecy... Death Eaters... Lord Émeraude..._

_'Harry!'_

Tom's words contained a bite to them this time, and regretfully Harry withdrew his hand, taking a few steps backwards just to be safe.

"What do I do now?" he asked, looking around, and sure enough seeing Tom standing by the entrance. His skin was covered in a thin layer of colour. Purple was the main one, but gold, and specks of icy blue swam through it like shoals of fish, and Harry remembered the last time he had seen Tom like this, and he realised that when he was sealing his magic, he hadn't fully appreciated the beauty of magic coating his lover like a second skin. He looked like a fallen god, and whilst he was biased, he would have dared anyone to challenge that assessment.

_"You need to stand there and watch,"_ said Tom with a smirk, striding forwards and placing his hands inside the stream of memory. Once again memories appeared, it was like they were in a cinema, the images hovering in the darkness before them_... Hogwarts... Talking with Draco after hunting... Telling Ron and Hermione... Seeing the Castle of the Night for the first time..._ This time they were jumbled, however, and Harry never understood how Tom could keep track, with them moving so quickly now he could barely comprehend them even thought they were his experiences.

One thing he did notice, was that the snake was changing colour, and then he realised what Tom was doing. Little by little he was masking the impression the memory gave off, tampering with it, and turning it Light but only on the surface. When Tom was done, the river of memory was now encased in a purple haze, flexible, as if it would now mask all memories made after as well as before.

Feeling Tom withdraw from his mind, a sharp stab to his subconscious drew Harry from the depths of his mind, and he opened his eyes to see a somewhat tired looking Tom staring back.

"Are you alright?" was the first question that fell off his lips, and Tom gave a slightly strained smile.

"Undoubtedly you have more Dark memories than either of your friends, it just took a little more work that I had thought," replied Tom.

"Mate, are you okay?" Ron's face was filled with concern, and Harry gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, I never felt anything at all."

"Do you trust me not to harm you? Unless you are absolutely sure, then we are wasting our time," Tom's voice was sharp, and he gave Ron and Hermione a scrutinising look.

"I do," Hermione spoke up again, and wordlessly Harry stood up, swapping places with her.

He had to say, watching Tom work was fascinating. His face was a mask of concentration, and he could see his eyes moving beneath the closed lids. Now he could fully understand why Tom never wanted to do this in Hogwarts. By performing this much mind magic, he could see how vulnerable his lover was, and his mind was open for a skilled legilimens to take advantage of, something he could see Dumbledore taking particular advantage of.

It took about twenty minutes for Hermione to be released, by which point she looked slightly dazed, but otherwise fine. It was more Tom that Harry was concerned about. Hermione through her copious amounts of reading probably had more Dark memories than one would suspect of the Gryffindor witch, and he could see lines of strain and fatigue forming on Tom's face as he started on Ron.

Harry really couldn't help the concern that flooded him at this. Tom would never outwardly show his tiredness unless he really couldn't help it, and a selfish part of him wanted to order him to stop, despite his friends being in danger if this was uncompleted. He could feel Hermione's gaze on him as stared at Tom, and at one point he acknowledged it, seeing a small smile on her face, before his eyes returned once more to his lover. By this point he would have been blind if he never realised Hermione had figured it out. Ever since her and Ron had started dating, she had became annoyingly observational in relationship matters, and he knew they would be having a discussion later, but really couldn't bring himself to care.

By the time Tom was finished with Ron, his fatigue of palpable, and Harry knew he had to return Ron and Hermione to the castle, but he really never wanted to leave in the first place.

"Take us back, and then return, we'll cover for you," whispered Hermione, and Harry for once was thankful of her ability to know almost everything, including what he was thinking.

"You both feel okay, right?" Harry asked worriedly. The last thing he wanted to do was take them back if something had gone wrong.

"That was weird, but no, I'm fine, Harry," said Ron, his hand reaching for Hermione, as if he needed physical proof that she was alright.

"I'm fine too, that was quite fascinating, I think I might study more into Legilimency, that is if I can borrow your cloak," Hermione's eyes were lit up with enthusiasm.

"Sure," replied Harry absentmindedly. "Now give me your hands, I'm going to take you back now before anyone gets suspicious."

In almost the same amount of time it took him to Phase, he was back, moving quickly over to Tom. The elder vampyre was slumped slightly on the couch, his eyes half shut, and his breath too slow for Harry to be comfortable with. Acting spontaneously, Harry rolled up his robe sleeve, and not caring about the pain, bit into his wrist.

Offering the appendage to Tom, his lover began to drink, and Harry was almost blown away. It was unlike anything he had every experience. He could hear Tom's heartbeat in his head, the pulse becoming steadier as the moments passed. Euphoria bubbled in his system, and he couldn't help the spark of arousal that flashed through him. The pleasure seemed to double the more Tom drank, and soon he was panting, and trying to contain the moans that were clawing up his throat. Tom's eyes were dark, almost black, and within them was an animalistic quality he had never seen before, it was wild, frenzied… and before he knew it, gone.

Gasping, he leaned back, licking the blood that came from the twin punctures, still oozing deep, red blood. In minutes they were gone, the only memory was the high, that seemed to swell in his chest, and infect every other part of his body. Looking up at Tom, he saw a little of the animalistic quality lingering in his eyes, and before he knew it, his lover pounced, pining him to the couch.

The kiss was burning. The taste of his blood on Tom's lips sending fire through his system, burning out all thought, and leaving only smoulder ashes behind. It was fierce, teeth clashing, tongues tangling, as they tried to get as much of each other as they could. He could feel the heavy heat of Tom's arousal pressing into his thigh, and he gasped as Tom shifted suddenly, their members grazing, and sending a jolt of pleasure through his system that nearly overwhelmed him.

Tom hissed, trailing kisses down Harry's arched neck, and his mind was trying to cope with the sensations making their way through him. Interspaced between Tom's kisses, the elder would hiss 'Thank you' and Harry grinned, his eyes rolling back in his head as Tom began to attack the buttons of his robes. Shivering as his chest was exposed, he ran his hands down the elders back, biting into Tom's shoulder as one of his nipples was claimed by talented teeth, the pearly bud rolled between them, and tasted, until he was a quivering mess in Tom's hands.

Their magic joined together, blending more and more, as their skin was exposed. Experimenting, Harry removed Tom's shirt, and pressing their chests together, the moaned as their magic melded over the large expanse, allowing him a glimpse into Tom's need, before his lips were once again claimed.

He knew from this kiss that something had changed. The tempo was slower, it was more gentle, and opening his eyes he gazed into the sapphire blue ones of Tom, flinching slightly at the intensity, but he understood the meaning. Pulling away, he nodded, and once more Tom trailed kisses down his torso, but this time moving past his bellybutton and into uncharted territory.

Skilled hands removed his belt buckle, sliding down his trousers, and allowing his already weeping member to jut out proudly against his flushed flesh. He almost jumped of the couch when Tom's mouth engulfed it, his tongue swirling an intricate pattern on the head, changing it now and again just to surprise him, but not enough to make him come. Swallowing deeper, he felt the back of Tom's throat, and the elder hummed, the vibrations causing him to buck, the need to feel more of the wet heat getting stronger by the minute, and a strangled cry coming harshly from his mouth.

He was so close… so, so close, if only Tom would... But it seemed as if Tom had other plans, and long fingers journeyed passed his balls to a place that only receive special attention in the shower. Feeling a digit probe his entrance, he almost cried out when Tom released his cock, and intense eyes gazed into his own pleasure glazed ones.

"Are you sure, Harry?" Tom's voice was full of concern, a far cry away from the wild passion of before. To Harry the question was ludicrous. He couldn't stop now!

"Yes," he managed, trying not to roll his eyes.

"It will hurt," warned Tom, and hearing a muttered spell, he felt one of Tom's now slick fingers plunge in. It burned slightly, but that soon faded, and he wriggled impatiently until Tom added a second, and soon after that a third. By this point, his erection had wilted slightly, and then Tom crooked his fingers. The stab of pleasure sent his member right up, and he couldn't help the moan that slid from his lips. His hips jerked, and Tom smiled, hitting his prostrate again and again, until Harry's mind was a jumbled mess of incoherent thoughts bouncing off each other and only getting more fragmented.

"Are you ready?" Tom's voice anchored him again, and he sighed. Yet another stupid question. It appeared the heir was on a roll tonight.

"Yes, please Tom, just do it," begged Harry, and he heard Tom mutter another spell, and nearly cried when Tom removed his fingers, only to replace them with the blunt head of his member.

Inch by inch it was excruciating, and panting, he had to urge Tom to go on, the fear in his lover's eyes only getting more evident by the seconds. Mercifully, it was soon over, and Harry could feel their magic joining once more, this time more intimate, soothing the pain as it let him glimpse Tom's need again. Wanting him to move, Harry wrapped his legs around Tom's ass, digging his heels in until the elder got the point. Soon they had set a rhythm, and Tom raised Harry's hips, pulling him to meet his thrusts, searching for something, until... It felt like fire had exploded inside him, and he let out a surprised gasp. When Tom hit his prostrate again, he felt the magic amplify it, and Tom gave breathy moan, his thrusts quickening as the pleasure washed over them, until together they both fell over the edge, screaming their releases.

Panting heavily, Tom withdrew and collapsed next to him, his arms seeking Harry, who scooted along, settling down so his head resting over his bare chest. Hearing the frantic beating of his lover's heart, Harry felt their magic settle again, smouldering along their skin contentedly. Tom's fingers found his hair, combing through the black strands gently, and before he knew it, he was asleep.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! This is my first unbeta'd full sex scene, and so comments would be appreciated - I'm going to apologise right now if it is awful though. With this chapter I felt back into the rhythm for the first time since I started writing it again, and so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it :D_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter :(_

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter._

_Please review!_


	25. Chapter 24: Marionettes

_'And when man faces destiny, destiny ends and man comes into his own.'_  
_~ Andre Malraux_

* * *

The earthy smell of rotten wood greeted his senses, and he inhaled a lungful, pushing himself up of the marshy ground, stumbling slightly as he tried to gain his bearings. The forest was old, the trees gnarled and knotted, the marks a symbol of the passage of time. Foliage littered the forest floor, the leaves damp and yellowing, the nutrients escaping the dying vessel and back into the ground. In a way it reminded Harry of a cemetery, the old trees taken down by younger ones, their bodies left to decompose and feed their conquerors.

It was quiet. The air was still, almost stagnant, the type of air that had been confined for a long time, compressed between the pages of history. Looking up, he saw the night sky peering through the canopy, the first speckle of stars glinting, and shining so much brighter than he had ever seen, and a ridiculous part of his brain wanted to say they looked younger.

On all sides were trees. Even with his advanced eyesight he couldn't see a way out of the woods. Claustrophobia settled in, and he wondered where Tom was, his last memory having been lying content in his arms. Walking aimlessly, he was greeted by older, and more sinister looking trees. The branches hovered low, like claws trying to grab him, and prevent him from breaching the forest further. Looking back, he no longer saw the clearing in which he had awoken, and he wasn't even sure what direction it was in anymore.

Despair cloaked him, painting over his skin, and chilling him, yet still he walked on. His footsteps were the only thing he could hear, the rest of the forest remaining silent despite the intrusion. Old stones began to crop up, on their faces were markings that Harry couldn't even hope to decipher. It reminded him slightly of Elfish, but less elegant, more brutally cut into the stone. Harsher.

It was soon after this he saw them. Two figures sat on either side of a tree stump, a chess board between them, and identical looks of concentration on their faces. The one playing the black pieces was beautiful. Her face was porcelain, and looked as if it had been crafted by angels themselves. Her red eyes bore into her opponents. They were educated eyes, filled with intelligence and forethought, yet she still had a number of pawns already taken out of the game. A black mist encased her, an aged, almost claw-like hand moving pieces thoughtfully across the board exuding from it, and the only visible feature apart from her exquisite face, both contrasting, and yet also seemingly natural and expected in relation.

Her opponent was sheathed in an almost blinding white light. Her face too was serene, her eyes amber, and appearing as clever as her opponent. Blood red lips were moistened as she moved one of her remaining three pawns, her hand also gnarled, and holding the pieces with the very tips of her fingers, almost as if they weren't good enough to have more contact with her.

Both players had a grace that Harry knew had been learnt through years of practice. Their faces, although angelic, were also masks, the hands giving more a clue of what they looked like, if they indeed had a form at all.

Approaching them, he felt as if he was moving through a marsh, his gait slowing considerably as his limbs got heavier and heavier by the seconds. Still, he was almost there when he felt a hand wrap around his shoulder, keeping him from reaching his target.

Wheeling around, he saw his captor was an old woman. Her face was lined heavily, and her eyes piercing his, searching the depths of them for something that was apparently of extreme importance to her. Thin lips were contorted into a line, and she gave the impression of being both severe and powerful all through her search, until, finally, she relaxed, a small smile gracing her stern features.

"Harry," she said warmly, her voice soft, almost like a grandmother, and he felt himself be embraced for a moment, before scrutinised in such a way that his only thought was of Mrs Weasley.

"Who are you?" he asked, turning slightly to see the players. Apparently they hadn't noticed this woman appear, and they gave no indication of seeing him…

"I have always been with you, Harry," smiled the woman, and she turned to gaze at the players also. "They see your realm as mere chess pieces, I know differently. Every time I add a new thread to my loom, I see the repercussions, I know the consequences of such an action, and yet that is how things are meant to be."

"You're Fate?" Harry asked, wishing he could just pinch himself. Surely this wasn't real…

"Why of course I am, and you are one of my children. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here, I've made you who you are," Fate gave him a grin, and Harry felt very much like a son being appraised by a proud mother.

"Can't you stop this then?" asked Harry, gesturing to the players.

"Heavens no, I can only guide, not everything is predetermined you know," scolded Fate, and Harry ran a shaking hand through his hair.

"Then why am I here?"

"To show you you have a choice," replied Fate, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I've already made it," said Harry, and the darker player's eyes flashed to him, a smile appearing before her attention was turned back to the game.

"Not your allegiance you silly boy," laughed Fate, the merry sound brightening up the woods a little.

"Then what…" started Harry.

"You will see," interrupted Fate. "You have seen this, you know there are higher forces are at work, but General's can only act if their troops do, and you are one important soldier if I do say so myself. Now son, this will be the only time we meet, I will aid the best I can, but it all hangs on your decision."

"What decision?" Harry was getting impatient now, his eyes narrowing at the old woman.

"You will see," she repeated, a mysterious glint in her eyes, "Now, farewell, and remember, balance must be restored."

He awoke sweating, a sensation he hadn't felt since before his transformation. Breathing heavily, he looked to his left and realised Tom hadn't awoken, most probably having used the last of his strength to carry him to their bed.

Fate, had he really met her? A shocked laugh escaped him, quiet in the small chamber, but enough to make his partner stir, and remind him that he must be quieter.

Tom looked serene. Peacefulness that looked almost alien on his features made a warmth uncurl in Harry's chest, radiating out as he looked at his sleeping mentor and lover. He never had enough moments like this, moments when it seemed the world was properly aligned, not in the midst of a war beyond both sides understanding. Time seemed suspended, Fate cramming as many seconds into a minute as was possible, and Harry was thankful.

She had seemed genuinely nice, although he could see the lethality beneath the warm demeanour. This was a woman who had taken lives in the billions. A woman who was responsible for the world at large. Harry wondered what his tapestry would look like. Plenty of dark colours, he wasn't as much of an optimist to think his life had been anything but nice so far. Still, interspaced between the blues and blacks there would be purple. Tom's colour, and the hue of what his life seemed to be turning into.

Last night, he was Tom's, and Tom was his. They were both one and the same, and he knew that he would grow up in this world with Tom by his side for most of it. There would be times when they were separated, too far away to see, but even then they would know. A bond had been forged, and if Fate thought that it would be so easily separated for him to go to the Light, then she never knew him as well as she thought she did.

But didn't she say it wasn't about that?

At some point in his future there would be a decision that affected the outcome. He would only know this decision when it was about to be made, and the pressures of such knowledge wore heavily on his mind.

Glancing at Tom, taking in the even and contented breathing, he knew he couldn't rob his lover of his new found peace. This was a burden he would carry alone, full in the knowledge that at some point the could make a decision that would ultimately lead to the downfall of their cause. He and he alone could destroy this, and it sickened him to his core.

Too keyed up to sleep, he eased himself gently out of the bed. He thought he was doing well so far, but then he heard Tom yawn and froze, very much feeling as if he was caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Harry, are you alright?" Of course the first thing he thought of upon waking was Harry, it took the younger all he could not to roll his eyes. Surprisingly he felt only a little soreness, and sitting on the end of the bed, he threw Tom a grin.

"I'm fine, are you?" He knew he shouldn't feel insecure, but a small part of him felt utter terror at this question and the answer he would get momentarily.

"This is how I feel, Harry," said Tom, dark eyes pinning him in place. Numbly, he felt his lips being captured, and the strength of Tom's magic almost overpowered him. The jubilation, elation mingled with concern, and pride felt like it would knock him over. Tentatively his magic reached out, embracing the other. Fear, insecurities, pride, and joy mingled with Tom's, and as their lips melded together, he felt the current deepen, the river expanding to hold both, some bouncing off each other, and others joining so that they were magnified.

Contentment washed over him, and greedy fingers reached up to Tom's hair, feeling the silky strands move easily through his exploring touch. Tom's hands raked down his back, holding him securely to his chest, and making him feel like a giant cat, but most of all safe. Thoughts of Fate and his dream flew from his mind, and his only attention was Tom, his lover pouring everything into the kiss, showing the younger that no, he did not regret it, and he was so incredibly happy that he had no other outlet than him.

When they pulled apart, if anyone saw the identical grins on their faces they would have thought they had been imperiused. All masks had vanished, instead there was just pure elation, and together they laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls, filled with undiluted mirth even thought there had been no joke or instigator.

"I need to get back to school," said Harry finally, sobering up and realising that people would be missing him. It seemed like another life, another place in which another Harry went, not this one who had just made love to the Dark Lord.

"I will see you soon," promised Tom, placing a sweet kiss on his forehead.

* * *

"Harry!" Hermione's jubilant voice was the first thing he heard after he Phased. Part of him panicked. He was in the boys dormitory right? Then he realised that her face was peering out at him from Ron's hangings… He _so_ didn't want to know what was going on there!

"Hermione," he replied weakly.

"Is Tom better?" Seeing his shocked face at her saying his name she quickly added, "We already had charms up."

Yep, did not need to know!

"He's fine," Harry wanted to slap himself when he felt a dopey grin form on his face.

"Uh huh," Hermione's eyes held too much amusement and happiness for Harry's liking, but he brushed it off. He never wanted details of her and Ron's sex life in the same way they never wanted details of his.

"Harry, an owl came with this for you," said Ron, pulling his hangings open, and pointing to a purple scroll on Harry's nightstand.

Unfurling it, Harry's eyes were met with the slanted writing that belonged to their Headmaster, and he felt his heart drop a little at the message.

_Harry,_

_I wish to see you after dinner tonight, I have a fondness of pineapple chunks._

_Dumbledore_

* * *

_A/N: I cannot apologise enough for the wait, and I thank you so much for the feedback, I know things have been going slowly with this story. University has started back up again, and so I'm pretty much drowning in coursework at the moment! Due to this, however, I cannot guarantee frequent updates, but I have my Easter break in about a month, so the next chapter - at the latest - will be up then. :) I know this chapter seems a little strange so please bear with me - although I guess this whole story is a tad mental anyway! Ron and Hermione will get more story time next chapter, but I felt there was too much in this one to add more - sorry about how short this is! Anyone who thinks I have/will abandon this story that will NOT happen! In the unlikely event that it is put on hiatus again you would be informed as well. :) I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and, although I don't deserve any, reviews will be appreciated! :)_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter *sigh*_

_I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes contained within this chapter.  
_


	26. Chapter 25: Lessons

Harry tried to convince himself that it wasn't nerves bubbling in the pit of his stomach as he approached the gargoyles that guarded Dumbledore's office. All throughout dinner he had barely been able to eat, merely moving the food around his place, fully aware that the Headmaster's eyes were on him. He could only compare the sensation to a laser, and in sharp contrast were the eyes of Demeter. Her gaze merely held curiosity, her large purple eyes not expressing that emotion, it was more he could sense the thoughts behind such a look. Maybe now he could sense thought processes better because of Tom? After everything else that had happened in his life since the Summer, he wouldn't be surprised!

Hermione had sent him worried glances all evening, but thankfully Ron had been completely oblivious to his worries, and was doing a pretty good job of stopping Hermione acting on her concern.

He never thought them being lovey-dovey would make him want to cheer instead of vomit.

"Passsssword?" asked the gargoyle on the left.

"Pineapple chunks," said Harry, sounding far more confident than he felt.

"Enterrrrr," purred the stone of the right, moving to the side and revealing the stairs to Dumbledore's office.

Climbing up the stairs Harry forced himself to calm down. This might not be a trap, Dumbledore could instead be planning… Planning what? He hardly doubted this was a surprise party. Regardless, he had to be cool, stay collected like Tom.

He couldn't help but remember every other time he had been in this office. Normally he was glad to be here, maybe once or twice he was terrified, but he had never before felt this unsettled. For the first time since this began, he realised this castle no longer felt like home.

Hearing Dumbledore calling him in, he reluctantly entered. Outwardly he smiled warmly at the Headmaster, letting a little nervousness enter his eyes as if he was worried he was getting in trouble. It was something the old Harry would have done after all.

"Ah, Harry," Dumbledore's voice was warm, but he knew underneath that the man was hollow, just a tool for the Light. "Looking well I see."

"Thank you Sir. May I ask why you wanted to see me?" asked Harry, sitting in front of the desk, moulding his features into a mask of confusion.

"Don't worry my dear boy, you're not in trouble. Quite simply, it has came to my attention that you are growing up, and with this I wish to start private lessons with you to further increase your part in the war effort," Harry tried not to let his shock show. The words showed clearly for the first time that Dumbledore knew he was a vampyre. Was that a warning then? What were these lessons? Images of stakes through the heart, being forced to turn into a bat, or being set alight entered his mind. Ridiculous images spawned from Hollywood, but would Dumbledore use this time to destroy him?

"What will we be doing in these lessons?" asked Harry, making a delighted expression cross his face. Wasn't this what he had always wanted? Ever since Sirius he had wanted to destroy Voldemort. Dumbledore knew that, but he also knew Harry was a vampyre, and that he was almost destined to join Tom. What was the old man playing at?

"We will cover a variety of things, but to put it broadly, the past," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling being the half-moon spectacles. Harry tried not to think of him as a spider and he a helpless fly tangled in its web. "I'll send an owl later this week with the time."

Seeing he was dismissed, Harry stood up and quickly left the office. His mind was reeling over the possibilities. What did Dumbledore mean about the past? Dimly he was aware of the gargoyles moving back into place, the sound of his feet hitting the cold paving stones as he walked aimlessly through the castle. His mind kept turning over all the possibilities. He was able to withstand torture, so if Dumbledore tried that, then he wouldn't get very far. His heightened magical ability made it almost impossible to contain him. So whatever Dumbledore was planning it couldn't be overt or overly offensive if he wanted his office to remain in existence. He had said it was something to do with the past. Who's past? It had to be something to do with the war, so that meant it was either his, Dumbledore's or Tom's.

Harry came to a halt, the buzzing in his ears diminished somewhat by his logic. Looking around, he realised he was near the Dungeons, the green shadows created by the candles dancing along the walls almost merrily. Turning left, Harry wanted to end up at a Great Hall, he did not, however, want to see Lysander and Blaise in a rather compromising position. What was it with these two and public places?

Harry cleared his throat, "Really, you should learn to put wards up." The way the two of them practically leapt apart seriously threatened Harry's composure, and as it was, he let a small smile slip out.

"Harry!" sighed Blaise, the relief evident in his tone.

"Harry," Lysander was much calmer, no doubt it was him of instigated this one, "I'm beginning to think you like watching us."

Harry felt a faint blush form on his cheeks, and let out a dry laugh. "I'd rather spend a weekend in the Dungeons with Snape."

"I bet you would," chuckled Blaise darkly.

"Well now that you mention it, there is something about the greasy hair that's hard to resist," said Harry after pretending to think for a moment. All of them started laughing at the ridiculousness of this comment.

"Where did you come from anyway? This isn't the right place for a Lion," asked Lysander, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, and crossing his arms like a stern parent.

"Dumbledore wanted to see me, and I needed to take a walk after," replied Harry, realising that they should probably know what was happening, they were, after all, involved almost as much as he was.

"What about?" there was no mistaking the ice in Blaise's voice.

"He wants to give me private lessons," said Harry, rolling his eyes.

"You should report this to Tom, Harry," said Lysander, the serious note in his voice, albeit rare, but not unfounded.

"What if he's found out about you?" asked Blaise, and Harry felt a touch a gratitude at the concern in his voice.

"He already knows I'm a vampyre. The conversation made it evident enough." The shiver that ran down Harry's spine had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Go and tell Tom, if he finds out you've delayed he'll kill you," whispered Blaise.

"Pffft, he'd probably enjoy it," muttered Lysander, a devilish glint in his eyes.

"If anyone asks where I am, just tell them I went to bed or something. If it's Ron and Hermione, however, tell them the truth," said Harry quickly, the shock he had felt since leaving Dumbledore's office gone, replaced with something that appeared a lot like panic.

He saw Blaise and Lysander nod, and then he Phased.

* * *

Harry just sat on the couch watching Tom pace back and forth, running his hands through his hair agitatedly.

"That is all he said to you?" asked Tom for the umpteenth tome.

"Yes, I don't know what the lessons are about other than the past, and funnily enough ,there is quite a lot in the past," snapped Harry. He was worried enough without Tom stressing him out more!

Tom stopped, his eyes moving to Harry's and searching so deep Harry would be surprised if he couldn't see his soul.

"I'm sorry, I'm not helping," murmured Tom, moving to sit next to Harry, his arm going around him almost protectively.

"You know Dumbledore the best, what do you think he will do?" asked Harry, leaning into Tom, letting himself relax for a moment.

"Well knowing him, he already knows you're a vampyre, that was inevitable. He already knows you've been in contact with me, or else you would be dead. What he doesn't know are your thoughts on all of this. To him, you will appear to be the innocent boy that left school last June, and we have the elves to thank for that. That means he'll hope your allegiance hasn't changed, he may be manipulative, but that doesn't mean he isn't foolish. However, he cannot be sure of either, and so he will probably try and sway you to the Light, since you are a key component in this war."

"And how will he do that?" asked Harry, wishing for a moment he could see inside Tom's mind. He had never seen someone think so quickly before, it would put Hermione to shame.

"Something to do with the past. Probably my past, and the atrocities I committed as Voldemort. He'll think that'll call to your more Gryffindor tendencies," Harry gave Tom a playful shove, and Tom grinned, "You know it's true. For the amount of Slytherin qualities you possess, they all pale in comparison to your hero complex."

"Well at least I'm not a bookworm," retorted Harry, Tom shoving him at this.

"Books cannot kill you, hero complexes can," murmured Tom, running his fingers through Harry's hair, and Harry felt his scalp tingle slightly.

"You never saw what Hagrid viewed as appropriate teaching material," said Harry, his voice slightly breathless.

Tom smirked, "No, but I can imagine quite clearly. Something that bites? Is seen as repulsive by all except him?"

"Pretty much," grumbled Harry, "You try having your arm chewed by a book, and then we'll see who's got the most dangerous habits."

Tom laughed, and Harry was happy to see he looked less stressed than he did when he first showed up. Tom had been in the middle of looking over plans. Apparently the Light were gathering forces in their kingdoms, and the Dark were gathering their troops in response. Thinking over Fate's words, Harry realised with a sinking feeling that that moment was probably going to happen soon, and now wasn't a time to start second guessing his decisions.

"Do you think the war will end soon?" asked Harry, emerald eyes boring into blue.

"I don't know," whispered Tom, brushing his lips over Harry's forehead, "I believe something will happen, the thoughts swirling around this castle are enough to tell me that. Alderan seems confident, however, and I am convinced that if a battle does occur, we are in a far better position. If Dumbledore is indeed trying to guide you back to the Light, then that indicates they are far weaker than they once were to resort to such tactics."

"Makes sense," murmured Harry, moving his face up, and angling it so their lips came together, just wanting the world to stop for a minute. It seemed like everything was moving so quickly. One minute he was a vampyre, and the next he had a war to fight. It wasn't selfish to take a moment or two to yourself, was it?

At the contact, the magic once again crackled over their skin. It was comforting, the confidence that Tom's emanated helping take about some of his doubts. If there was a war, then they would survive it. They would win, and balance would be restored. Tom did his best to reassure him physically as well, their sheets tangled around them, binding them closer together, and yet reminding Harry of the image he had had in Dumbledore's office. Them the helpless flies, and Dumbledore the giant spider waiting to devour them. And whilst Tom's lips and tongue managed to fend those thoughts away for a while, later that night, safe in the confines of Tom's arms, he could feel that something big was going to happen. The decision to decide the outcome of the war was moving steadily closer, and all Harry could do was squeeze his eyes shut and hope he would somehow make the right choice.

* * *

_Sorry! I know this is horrendous, even by my standards! Since we're on the final leg of this story, and I am on holiday now for a few months, the updates will be quicker - I know I've said this before, but I actually have the rest of this story properly planned out now, all I need to do it write it. :) I hope you enjoyed this, and even though I don't deserve them, I hope you review._

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. *sigh*_


	27. Chapter 26: Preparations

Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach when he received the small scroll of parchment from one to the school owls almost a week later at breakfast. He recognised Dumbledore's messages anywhere, the deep purple ribbon tied neatly around the fresh parchment giving it away in an instant. Having filled in Ron and Hermione on the details they weren't surprised, but all it took was Neville exclaiming 'What's that Harry?' to have the rest of Gryffindor's attention placed on him.

Brilliant.

"Give him a minute," said Ron, the words coming out slightly harsher than they would normally have. Sure enough Neville shrank back a little, but it was a testament to how far he had come along from the stuttering young boy in First Year that he never dropped it.

Harry was relieved that Ron intervened. Hungrily his fingers unfurled the scroll, Dumbledore's writing that used to cause such excitement in him, now making him want to drop the letter as if it was diseased.

_Harry,_

_I would like to start our Private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at eight p.m. I hope you are enjoying your studies. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_  
_PS. I enjoy Acid Pops._

Harry tossed the scroll back onto the table, running his fingers through his hair in a way he hoped looked calm. Ron snatched it up, scanning the contents, his expression thankfully remaining neutral, but Harry could see his normally open brown eyes harden a little. When Ron Weasley was nervous, then something was very, very wrong.

"He just wants me to get some extra training," said Harry to Neville, the boy's face looking more sombre as he realised the meaning behind this.

"Why does he always make his passwords the names of sweets?" asked Ron randomly, the rest of the Gryffindors chuckling at this.

"I dunno, he always offers me lemon drops as well, maybe he thinks the names will make pupils a little more at ease going into his office," mused Harry.

"And that does not sound dodgy in the slightest," came the teasing voice of Lysander.

"What is the 'Wise Ravenclaw' doing gracing our table?" asked Harry, holding his nose in the air in a manner scarily like Malfoy, and putting on an accent that would make a Pureblood cringe.

"I believe I should gives others an example of true brilliance once in a while," replied Lysander, not missing a beat.

"Where's Blaise?" asked Hermione, "Got him tied up somewhere?"

"I wish," Lysander looked wistfully towards one of the cupboards at the top of the Hall. Ron shuddered slightly.

"Dumbledore's gonna give me private lessons," said Harry, seeing Lysander's eyes move to the letter.

"Are you really that thick?" the Frenchman's eyes looked too delighted, and Harry realised that he could probably make an extremely good actor one day.

"No, I'm so wise that I need extra teaching so my time here isn't entirely wasted," retorted Harry.

"Says the boy who cannot evaporate water in a heat wave," snickered Lysander, "Anyway, as much as I love to insult you, I came over here to ask if you want to join us on the Quidditch pitch after class. Malfoy got a new broom and he wants to show it off. I figured you would be excited by this," Lysander's expression was one of disdain at the end.

"Uh, sure, that actually sounds quite fun," Harry was surprised, but the thought of riding his Firebolt again was too good to resist. The Quidditch matches were due to start soon, and training was due to commence next week. For the first time in his life, Harry had totally forgotten about it.

"Knew you'd say that. I better return to my table, I don't want to be contaminated by your Gryffindor-ness," and with that, Lysander was gone.

"I don't know what it is about him, but despite being an ass, I like him," muttered Ron, shaking his head slowly.

"He's got that way about him," said Harry, stuffing Dumbledore's letter into his pocket.

"We should probably get to class. Potions is first, and judging by the look on Snape's face, it's going to be brutal," said Hermione, and Ron and Harry groaned when they looked up to see the surly face of the Potions Master.

"This is going to be hell," groaned Ron, and Harry felt like he couldn't have expressed it better himself.

* * *

Harry was pleasantly surprised to see them all come out of Potions alive. Thanks to the warning, they had expected Snape to be bad, but whatever it was that had annoyed him, they had never seen him quite that moody before. Neville was still recovering from having his Draught of Living Death tried out on Trevor. Thankfully he was so inept at Potions, the toad was merely a little dazed.

After that the day seemed to breeze by. As always in DADA Demeter kept her large watchful eyes on him, but other than that she kept her distance - unless she was delivering a message from Tom saying their training was cancelled for some reason or another. Their training had been cancelled for a few weeks, Tom having to go to the other kingdoms of the Midnight Realm and inspect their troops. If that never spelled a war was coming, then Harry never knew what did. Hastily he penned a note explaining Dumbledore's lesson conflicted with their training, and at the end when no one was looking he knocked his bag, spilling the contents over the carpet.

Sure enough, when everyone was gone and he was trying to find everything, Demeter floated over to him.

"Tom has sent me no messages for you today, Harry," she said gently, her voice a mere whisper.

"I know, but I was wondering if you could pass this to him," Harry handed her the scroll, and she scanned it quickly, checking it for any traps - one couldn't be too careful.

"I had heard of your lessons with the Headmaster. Are you sufficiently prepared?" asked the elf, her full lips forming a slight frown.

"Yes," said Harry, not quite knowing how he could prepare himself.

"Well if you require assistance, just think the word hippogriff. He was talking about setting up a psychic link between yourself, himself and I, and if you are in danger this will let us know."

"That was nice of him to tell me," said Harry, feeling a little hurt that Tom had not told him about this idea.

"Hush Childe, he only thought of it a few nights ago, and given his duties and responsibilities, you are fortunate you see him as much as you do," scolded Demeter, her normally kind eyes flashing slightly.

"Could you please deliver it to him?" asked Harry, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and really wanting to leave the classroom.

"Of course," Demeter was back to her cool self, and Harry felt relived, "I shall do so right away."

"Thank you... Er, I better be going now." The elf's stare had became more intense in the past few moments, and grabbing his back, he made his way out of the classroom.

"One last thing," said Demeter, just as Harry was at the door, "Good luck, Harry."

* * *

By the time Harry made it to the Quidditch pitch Firebolt in hand, he felt calmer than he had in ages. Even the prospect of flying soothed him. He jumped on his broom, flying the rest of the way down to the pitch. Flying faster, he felt exhilaration course through his veins, and it only hit him now how much he missed this.

It was strange to think he had only been at Hogwarts for almost a month. In that time so much had changed, and it physically hurt his brain to think back over it all. Part of him marvelled at how much you could cram into a small period of time, and the other wondered vaguely how much longer he could keep it up.

Right now, however, all of that was behind him. Up here he was free. If he wanted to he could fly away and no one could catch him. Here he could do what he wanted, he was in control. All of the feelings he had over flying were strengthened just that little bit because of everything he had been through over the Summer. He wished Tom never hated flying, that way he could feel this way too and they could share the experience together.

Feeling his feet skim the long grass, he sighed happily, shooting up higher so as to not crash into the stands. Everything seemed so much smaller from up here, and seeing Ron, Hermione, Draco, Lysander and Blaise standing in the centre of the pitch only amplified that. Aiming, he zoomed down towards them, pulling up at the last minute in a spontaneous Wronski Feint.

"Always has to make an entrance," grumbled Lysander loudly.

"You're hardly any better," laughed Blaise.

"Sorry I'm late, had to speak to Demeter," said Harry, by way of explanation.

"Letting Tom know about Saturday?" asked Lysander, and Harry was struck by how quickly he could go from mocking to serious.

"Yep, I don't want him besieging the castle to look for me when I don't show," laughed Harry.

"Why can I actually see Riddle doing that?" asked Ron to no one in particular.

"Because he is madly, irrevocably, and nonsensically in love with Potter here," sneered Draco, and Harry felt himself blush just a little.

"I think it's sweet," said Hermione, and it was all Harry could do not to vomit at the sappy look that had entered her eyes.

Clearing his throat, he saw Ron was holding enough broom from the broom cupboard for them all, and Lysander had the chest of balls by his feet. "I suggest us Gryffindors go against you Slytherins and your one wannabe Slytherin. Best of three?"

"Deal," said Blaise, elbowing Lysander as he complained rather vocally about being called a 'wannabe Slytherin.'

The games never lasted long. Ron had improved considerably over the Summer, but Hermione was rather lacking in Quidditch talent, so it was basically him and Ron against the other three. Somehow they managed to win the first game, but were trounced in the second, and it was only Harry's quick thinking that led to them winning the third.

When they landed, they were all feeling a little sore and sweaty, but Harry hadn't felt more alive than when he first drank Tom's blood. Trudging up to the castle, they couldn't stop laughing at how Ron had almost scored a goal for the other team, and it was only when Harry shot sparks at him that he remembered they had swapped sides. Ron blushed heavily throughout the teasing, but took it good naturedly.

The week passed in much the same fashion, and it was only on Friday evening that Harry realised his meeting with Dumbledore was the following night. He was sitting in the library when this happened, working on his DADA essay on how muggle views on Dark creatures had bled into the Wizarding World when this dawned on him.

"You'll be alright, Harry," came the calm voice of Luna. Turning, he saw she was right behind him.

"Sweet Merlin, Luna! Don't do that!" he hissed, trying to keep his voice low so that he wouldn't get thrown out. Madam Pince glared at him anyway, and he wondered for a moment if that woman's ideal world was one where the vocal chords didn't exist. Probably.

"I was merely fascinated by the Wrackspurts that are above your head. They told me to come to you," said Luna vaguely.

"Er, that was nice of them," was all Harry could think to say. He as still having a hard time believing they actually existed let alone they were above his head.

"I thought so," replied Luna dreamily, "They were right, your aura is almost like a muddy blue colour."

"And that means...?" asked Harry wearily. He loved Luna, he really did, but he wished she could get to the point a little quicker.

"You're worried, and my guess is about that note from the Headmaster stuffed in your pocket," her silver eyes had a rare moment of clarity, and Harry vowed he would never again doubt her power.

"Uh, yeah. I really don't know what to expect," voiced Harry, feeling a wave of hopelessness engulf him.

"We can only know ourselves by our reaction to the unknown," said Luna dreamily.

"If this is my reaction, then I am not fit to be a Lord," sighed Harry, running his fingers through his hair agitatedly.

"You were given that gift because you deserved it. Tom would not trust someone blindly, and ever since you two have gotten together your auras have practically glowed. It really makes a difference from the other auras around here," Luna looked around the library sadly, "You are competent you know. You never went to find the Philosophers Stone knowing what to expect, you never found the Chamber of Secrets knowing what would be inside, you managed to save your Godfather from the Dementors, you managed to bring back Cedric's body from the Graveyard and get away from Voldemort without harming anyone... You never knew what would happen in any of those situations, no one would, but your reactions show that you are competent and powerful. This situation is no different."

Harry blinked, feeling heat rise up into his face. That was the longest and most impassioned speech he had ever heard Luna give.

"I don't know what to say... Thank you," stammered Harry, feeling all powers of speech slipping away from him.

"It's true. If you can handle Tom, then you can handle Dumbledore. The Wrackspurts are telling me my work is done, and that you need to get on with your essay. Goodnight, Harry," Luna kissed him on the cheek before wandering away, looking for all intents and purposes that she had no idea where she was going.

Harry knew differently now, however. She was incredibly smart and perceptive, he just hoped she was right about him. Feeling the knot in his stomach unravel a little, he went back to his work.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback, it's nice to know I still have some readers out there! :D This chapter was meant to be the start of Dumbledore's lessons, but then the characters wanted to play Quidditch. *sigh* So Dumbledore will be in the next chapter and that should be up within the next week. I hope you've enjoyed this one, and I would really appreciate it if you review!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. *sigh*_


	28. Chapter 27: Past

Tom tried not to snarl as the leader of the Demons grinned cockily at him. He was in one of their larger cities, called Pandema by visitors, but colloquially it was nicknamed The Pit. The large, decaying city lay in the ruins of the first Castle of the Night. It was here more than anywhere else that the mist and darkness so associated with the Midnight Realm lingered. Demons, liking the darkness and feeding off its energy inhabited the cursed place, and over time it was rebuilt. However, the city could never reach the grandeur of what had once been, and had steadily fallen into disrepair over the centuries.

Out of the kingdoms of the Werewolves, Vampyres, Elves, Goblins, Banshees, Veela, and other Dark creatures that had seeked solace within the confines of the Realm, Pandema was the one that Tom hated visiting. Demons were slippery by nature, not unlike Slytherin's. Their wits and cunning made them great allies, but it also made negotiations incredibly draining.

The Demon he was dealing with just now was the worst, and naturally he was their leader. Elected through blood and betrayal of course. Rumour had it that Baal promised Head Chef's Merak his position of Chief Advisor if he arranged for the death of then Lord Hayden the Second. Of course wiping the chef's memory of their conversation and weaving a story in which he prevented a coup won the Demon population over, and he was elected.

This was Tom's first meeting with the new Lord - all were controlled by Alderan in matters concerning the Realm, but had individual rule of their kingdoms. It was clear that Baal was going to be difficult from the moment he had made Tom leave his train outside.

Whilst he never cared how Baal got into power - in fact he rather admired his cunning - he never liked the man upon his first impression. His form was hazy, and the Vampyre Lord knew it was because he was not used to taking on human form. The man's eyes were blood red - eerily similar to his Voldemort disguise - and his black hair gelled back not unlike Draco Malfoy. A white suit only made his pale skin ever paler, and he was leaning nonchalantly on his desk, resting his chin on steepled fingers.

Did this man not realise they were at war?

The room itself was grand, unlike the poverty outside. In here polished mahogany made the floor gleam, the high cathedral ceiling painted with images from Demon history. Tapestries outlined their great battles with their Light brothers, and thick, burgundy curtains covered the great window that looked out onto the streets below. The only hint of light in the room was from the crystal chandelier and a fireplace next to Baal's desk. The way the light cast shadows on his face only hinted more at the black, shapeless form beneath the shade.

"Lord Riddle, it is a pleasant surprise to see you grace this corner of the kingdom. Please, take a seat," said Baal smoothly, gesturing to the rather uncomfortable looking chair in front of his desk.

If he thought he was stupid enough to uneven the power between them by having Tom sit whilst he remained standing, then this would be a relatively short meeting.

"I'll stand, but thank you for the offer," replied Tom politely. Baal gave a slight nod, his eyes narrowing.

"It has came to my attention that you have been travelling amongst the other kingdoms as well. May I ask what is the purpose of your visit?" The Demon Lord had a look of polite curiosity on his face, but Tom could hear the danger beneath his words.

"We have received word that the Light are preparing to strike against us. They are growing desperate, new ideologies have been more accepting for the Dark, and they seek to maintain their hold on the Wizarding World as long as they can. Attacking now whilst they still have some power is the most logical course of action, and our spies have detected increased activity within their Realm to back this up," said Tom smoothly.

"We have heard the same reports from our allies. However, could this not just be a reaction to your apprentice?"

"Pray tell how you know of him," ordered Tom coldly. Harry's presence had only been known to those in the Castle of the Night, and even then just personnel close to both himself and Alderan.

"Demons were born in the shadows," came the cryptic reply, and Baal smiled cockily at him, raising his eyes as if in a challenge.

"Spying on your allies, is that not a little paranoid Lord Baal?" asked Tom tauntingly.

"Think of it what you will, I only feel that Demons have been left in the dark - excuse the pun - too long," said the Demon Lord.

"Then consider this your enlightenment," hissed Tom, his blood boiling at the blatant show of mistrust, "If you spread the word about my apprentice I will personally see to it that Pandema is wiped off the map. Again."

"And how do you think threatening me will ensure my co-operation to provide troops and resources?" asked Baal mockingly.

"Oh, I do not need to threaten you to ensure that," said Tom deviously, "I believe you are aware of the Treaty of the Clans?" Baal's face paled slightly, almost becoming translucent, "Ah yes, your reaction tells me that you are. Nonetheless, let me refresh your memory of Paragraph 18, Section 6: If a registered member of the Confederation of Dark Creatures refuses to answer a Summons by the Lord of the Realm, or refuse aid in any way in a time of need, then that member and the species of that member will henceforth be banished from the Realm until they are deemed to be worthy of protection once more."

"You do not need to remind me, Lord Riddle," said Baal, his tone even although his eyes sparkled with anger.

"I am here only to tell you to prepare. I could have sent forth a courier, however, since we ask so much of you," Tom looked at the Demon Lord disdainfully, "Then Alderan felt it best to send me. He also felt it best to send me if there were any… Complications." Tom ended on a hiss, his eyes flashing red.

Baal evidently got the message, "I shall inform Commander Valis to prepare as many men as possible. Is there a deadline in mind?"

"You have until the end of the week. Be happy I never made it shorter considering your lack of cooperation. There are matters I need to attend to elsewhere now, and so myself and party shall be taking our leave. Inform the guards at the main gate," ordered Tom, nodding at Baal, and swiftly leaving the chamber.

Once outside, he nodded once more at his party of two vampyres and an elf - Alderan insisted he bring them for security, the unpredictability of Demons was famous - to indicate he was successful and that they could leave.

However, when he was heading through the gates in the Castle of the Night, he felt an irrational burst of anger explode within his chest, followed by despair and anguish. Leaning against a tree for a moment, he signalled for his party to continue on through the threshold. As soon as they passed through the gates, his carefully constructed expression crumbled. There was only one place that level of emotion could have came from.

Harry.

Not a moment later he had Phased again.

* * *

If Harry had been nervous seeing Dumbledore the first time, it was nothing compared to now. He had said goodbye to his friends in the Common Room, Ron and Hermione's worried glances doing nothing to ease his anxiety. Sitting across from the Headmaster, the old man's eyes twinkled in a way that Harry used to think was cool. Now it just irritated him.

"Harry, I hope you've had an enjoyable week at school?" Harry wanted to roll his eyes. Why couldn't Dumbledore just tell him why he was here?

"Yes, thanks, Sir," muttered Harry, letting a look of impatience flit across his face, "Er, I was under the impression we would be having lessons?" Harry looked around. The office hadn't changed from last time. It was still cluttered with whirring silver instruments, some of which he recognised from having destroyed last year. The portraits were all sleeping - Dippet even had a night hat on! Nothing indicated they were having a lesson, and he felt his unease grow.

"Yes, no doubt you have been wondering what we will be doing in these - for want of a better word - lessons?"

"Yes, Sir," said Harry._ 'Get to the point!'_

"After our discussion last year, I decided it was time for your to be given certain information about Voldemort. Information that may help aid his downfall," said Dumbledore.

"You said last year that you told me everything," Harry couldn't keep the accusatory tone from his voice.

"And so I did," said Dumbledore calmly, "From this point onwards we shall be entering a world of mere speculation and educated guess work. However, I believe my conclusions are sound, but even a small margin of error could be fatal."

_'Great. So we're fishing in the dark.'_thought Harry. Whilst he was glad that Dumbledore wasn't going to kill him, he would have thought he would be a little more impressive than just guesswork.

"Does this have anything to do with the prophecy?" asked Harry hesitantly. After seeing Bella give her prophecies, he knew now the one he had heard last year was true, but, whilst difficult, he was trying to act as if he hadn't met Tom, and he was still on the Light side. Given Dumbledore's pleased look, he thought he was doing a good job.

"This has a great deal to do with the prophecy, Harry," said Dumbledore, getting up from behind his desk, and moving to one of the many cabinets aligning the walls. Moments later he opened one and withdrew a Pensieve. Placing the stone basing with odd markings on the desk in front of him, Dumbledore went back to the cabinet, this time returning with three crystal phials.

"You see, Harry. To defeat ones enemy one has to know him intimately. In these phials are memories from Voldemort's youth. In them they contain many clues about the man he is today, and whilst containing clues, they also hint at his weaknesses," Dumbledore poured one of the phials into the basin, "Shall we?"

Nodding, Harry leaned forward, tipping his face lightly into the mixture that was neither liquid or gas. It felt wrong to turn his back on Dumbledore like this, but moments later he felt his feet leave the office floor, and he fell through the darkness.

He landed in a room that had most certainly seen better days. It was small, black fabric hanging loosely from the window, allowing in snatches of daylight. Mismatched furniture decorated the tiny room, making it look part office part sitting room - the only indication of it being the former was the desk that was buried under so much paper that Harry was surprised the rickety legs hadn't given out.

Feeling Dumbledore land next to him, he focused more on the occupants of the room. A woman was sitting on one side of the desk. She was skinny and looked permanently stressed. Brown hair was coming loose from a messy bun, and her apron was wrinkled as if she hadn't had time to iron it. Sitting opposite her was a younger Dumbledore. His hair, instead of silver, was auburn, and he wore a plum velvet suit that clashed magnificently with his surroundings.

"Mrs Cole, I am here to discuss the future of one of your charges. Mr Thomas Riddle," said Dumbledore.

"Are you family?" asked Mrs Cole, looking slightly more harassed at Dumbledore's eccentric appearance, her eyes squinting slightly as she tried to find some hint of a resemblence.

"No, I am a teacher, and I wish to offer Mr Riddle a place at my school."

Instead of looking relieved, Mrs Cole looked even more suspicious, "What school is this, then?"

"It's called Hogwarts," replied Dumbledore smoothly.

"I see," Mrs Cole's eyes flitted to her paperwork for a moment before asking, "And why are you interested in Tom?"

"Both myself and the Board of Govenors believe he has the qualities we are looking for," replied Dumbledore.

"Has he won a scholarship? He's never been entered for one," Mrs Cole's face was a mask of confusion.

"His name has been down for our school since birth," said Dumbledore, and Harry could see he was frustrated with how sharp the woman opposite him was being. Sure enough, without her realising, Dumbledore slipped his wand out of his pocket, picking up a piece of blank paper from the mess that was the desk. "This should clear everything up."

With unfocused eyes Mrs Cole read the paper, coming to the end, she said, "Well everything seems to be in perfect order." Her eyes fell on a bottle of gin and two glasses that Harry was certain hadn't been present earlier. She offered Dumbledore a glass, pouring them both a generous measure.

"I was wondering if you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle's history? I believe he was born here in the Orphanage?" asked Dumbledore, once a more comfortable atmosphere had settled, and Mrs Cole had drank her way through more than a few measures of gin.

It was as if this question opened a floodgate. Through the next half an hour Harry learned of Tom's mother. It seemed she had staggered in on New Year's Eve and had been taken in. An hour later she had had Tom, before dying not even another hour after his birth. From what Harry gathered his father had abandoned them, and yet Merope still wanted their son to bear his name.

It was unlikely that any child born in this manner would grow up to be uncomplicated. It appeared Tom had bullied the other children, mastering his magic at an early stage. However, there were moments that Harry thought he saw glitches. Only small things, like Mrs Cole abruptly moving onto another topic. Normally it wouldn't be noticeable, but Harry had been hanging onto her every word, and her speech pattern never permitted the change. Although it was when they went up to Tom's room, that he was sure the memory had been tampered with.

Even at eleven Tom was handsome. His face was slightly less pale than it was now, and his hair short, but Harry apart from that there wasn't much difference from the adult, Vampyre version.

"How do you do, Tom?" asked Dumbledore, holding out his hand. Tom only hesitated a moment before taking it. "I am Professor Dumbledore. I work at a school called Hogwarts and have come to offer you a place with us."

"You can't kid me, I know you're from the asylum. Mrs Cole's always wanted rid of me…" Tom was working himself up into a frenzy, but Harry wasn't paying attention, he was mainly looking at the red bands on Tom's wrists. The skin had been rubbed raw at one time, and it was clear this was scar tissue. He was aware the older Dumbledore was watching him, and then schooled his features.

Dumbledore tried once again to get Tom to calm down, "I am not from the asylum. I am a teacher. If you will sit down, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. If you do not wish to come, no one will force you."

"I'd like to see them try," sneered Tom, and Harry tried not to draw similarities to Malfoy.

"Hogwarts is a school for people with special abilities-"

"I am NOT mad!" yelled Tom, his face contorting in cold fury.

"Hogwarts is not a school for mad people, it is a school of magic." At the word 'magic' Tom froze.

Tom smiled slightly, and slowly as Dumbledore explained, he grew more relaxed.

"I always knew I was different," Tom's voice was shaking, "I always knew I was special, not cursed like _they_ thought." The hatred on the word '_they_' was unmistakable.

After Dumbledore explained a few more things to Tom about Hogwarts - Tom vehemently refused Dumbledore's help finding Diagon Alley - Harry felt the older Dumbledore tug on his arm, and the scene started to fade, Dumbledore's office reappearing before his eyes.

Harry hadn't been paying attention at the last part of the memory, however. His mind had been lingering on the scars and Tom's words. Thinking about what he knew of the time period, he felt his stomach drop and anger flood his chest at his realisation.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! I was overjoyed to see so many reviews! I'm sorry I had to cut it here, the chapter was just getting too long, but I assure you, you'll get your answers in the next one - If you can't guess already! There will be at least one more memory shown in the next chapter, and the reason for Harry's strong emotions that Tom felt in the first half of this chapter will be revealed as well. _

_You'll recognise dialogue from The Half-Blood Prince, but I've altered quite a lot of it too._

_This chapter, whilst looking at Tom's back story from Dumbledore's POV was also trying to make the Midnight Realm more 3D. _

_Summary:_

_Each species of Dark creature has a kingdom. One official is selected from each kingdom to rule over it's individual affairs by the public. Alderan's role is to oversee this, and in matters concerning the whole Realm, then the Lords or Ladies defer to him. If power is being abused he has the right to depose the ruler and conduct a new election, however, this is only done in situations where the public themselves have been powerless to stop the tyrant and requested aid, or the situation is too bad to ignore. _

_I hope that makes more sense about the procedures in the Realm. And there will be more of Tom's past in the next chapter, along with Harry's realisation._

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._


	29. Chapter 28: Manipulation

Harry thought it was quite an achievement that he kept Dumbledore ignorant to the anger coursing through him. Growing up with the Dursley's, he had been left with his fair share of marks. Tom had never commented on them, and there seemed to be a shared understanding between them that Harry never wanted to dig up the past. However, there were some things in the past that he could not ignore.

The young Tom had said they thought he was cursed. Muggles, not understanding the concept of magic would have used the punishments available to them on children in those times. Chastising children was not as frowned upon in those days. The Moral Panics associated with child abuse had died down by the time Tom was in the Orphanage, and it wouldn't surprise him if Mrs Cole, at her wits end, had tied him to his bed without meals as a punishment. Harry remembered more than once the Dursley's doing that to him, except they never had to tie him up. It wasn't as if he could get out of the cupboard anyway.

Harry understood that Dumbledore had left him at the Dursley's to interfere with his magical development. Whilst it angered him, he could recognise that this was a war, and he would do anything to aid the Dark, just as the Headmaster would for the Light.

Tom's neglect had no excuse, however.

There had been no prophecy referring directly to Tom. No indication to Dumbledore that he was indeed a vampyre. There were plenty of magical families that would have taken him in. Quite simply, there was no rational reason for why Dumbledore had left him there.

For some time Harry had thought Dumbledore cared about the minorities. Before his change, he had thought him the champion of the little people. It was bitter to see he had been wrong. A casualty was allowed if it was_ 'for the greater good' _in the aged wizard's eyes. As long as the whole of society benefited, then it never mattered who was stepped on to get there. Tom was just one of many who had fallen through the cracks. Who was not deemed important enough to aid the greater good, and who could just be ignored.

It was slightly ironic that in his quest to aid the Light, Dumbledore had inadvertently created one of its greatest opponents.

Looking upon the Headmaster with new eyes, Dumbledore clearly assumed the change in his features was due to the memory, and it was, just not in the way he thought. The wizard's eyes had brightened. He thought the conversion was working, that he was turning Harry against Tom. How wrong he was.

"So you see Harry. Tom's powers were surprisingly well developed for such a young wizard. There has been evidence that he even began using them consciously on others at the Orphanage. Not in the ways one normally experiments with magic, but in ways that bullied and frightened," Dumbledore's eyes were sad as he said this. Harry had to bite his tongue to stop him saying _'Well, Sir, if it wasn't for you, then perhaps he wouldn't be the threat he is now.'_

As it was, he just nodded. "Wasn't he also a parselmouth?" asked Harry, wondering what Dumbledore's take on the skill would be.

"Yes, as you saw in your Second Year, Tom is also a parselmouth. This is supposedly connected to the Dark Arts, but there are those with the same ability among the great and good. You see, Harry, nothing about Tom unnerved me more about the boy than his sense of cruelty, secrecy and domination. Perhaps these should have hinted to what he would become, but alas, I am an old man, and old men make mistakes - And if I may say so, being rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be larger," Dumbledore looked rather bashful, but Harry could hear the message beneath the words as if the Headmaster had spoken plainly. _'Even those with abilities associated with the Dark can be redeemed and turn Light again.'_

"What happened to Tom at Hogwarts? Did he find Diagon Alley?" Harry remembered how lost he was even with Hagrid, the fact that the eleven year old Riddle could make it baffled him.

"Yes, I trust you noticed how highly self-sufficient Tom was. He was also friendless, and this made him learn quickly how to operate alone. To this day he prefers it. Albeit many Death Eaters and followers claim to be in the adult Voldemort's confidence, that they alone are close to him, even understand him. They had deluded. Even from an early age he had no friends, it is even highly unlikely he ever wanted one." Again the message was plain. _'Tom is a master manipulator, he doesn't care for you and never has.'_

"That's rather sad," said Harry quietly.

"Why Harry, you cannot possibly be feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort, can you? Please, indulge me and witness this memory," Dumbledore poured another phial into the basin, "Then we shall see if you can still pity the man."

Harry tried not to gasp as the office faded, the colours rushing in painting a setting that he recognised immediately.

They were on a hillside. The dark clouds crackled ominously as they had last time, and a few metres away sat a Manor that if he had any doubts where he was, this would eradicate them. Sure enough, Little Hangleton lay below them, the sleepy town unaware of the scene unfolding above them.

Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to Tom. The sixteen year old was kneeling in the grass, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. Dumbledore stood slightly above him, magenta robes swirling around him in a storm of colour.

"Tom, let me help you," said Dumbledore, but unlike last time he reached out his hand towards the crumbling student.

"Help me?" sneered Tom, "You would rather see me destroyed!"

"That isn't true and you know it" retorted Dumbledore, withdrawing his hand a fraction.

"You knew, you knew he never wanted me and still you let me find out, you let me go in there and now they are dead. Are you happy old man?" Tom's words were filled with venom, but as with last time, and oblivious to Dumbledore, he could hear the deep sadness beneath those words.

"No, I am not happy. I had thought seeing them would have helped you regain your humanity, but it appears I was mistaken" sighed Dumbledore, stepping back.

"Humanity! I lost that a long time ago" laughed Tom, the laugh was chilling and struck Harry to the core. For a moment, and unlike last time, Tom's eyes flashed red, eerily similar to that of Voldemort.

"Will you ever change your ways?" asked Dumbledore wearily.

"You set me on this path when you made me go to the orphanage. You know I don't like it there and still you send me back year after year. I'm sure there are couples that would be honoured to have a child genius in the family, but apparently I'm not deserving of that. As far as I am concerned it is because of you I am the way I am" said Tom bitterly.

"I'm sorry," said Dumbledore, disappointment lacing the words, before apparating away the sharp crack quickly being carried away by the wind.

Quickly the scene melted away, and Harry once again found himself in Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore looked even sadder than before, and this only served to anger Harry further. But still, he had a part to play, even if he was barely holding onto it.

"He killed his father?" asked Harry numbly.

"Yes, and grandparents. I had thought meeting them they would perhaps have taken him in, given him back some of his humanity through the love he should have gotten from his mother."

Harry had been impressed with how tightly he had held onto his anger, but now he felt something snap at the blatant lies.

"You don't get it, do you Professor?" asked Harry, bitterness shining through his voice.

"Don't get what, Harry?" Dumbledore's face was a mask of confusion.

"You may have meddled with these memories - Yes, I can see the alterations, I'm not stupid - but to me they still show you as having condemned a boy to live with abusive carers for years. I'd say I was surprised, but after you left me with the Dursley's, I really wouldn't put it past you to have known and just not cared," sneered Harry, getting quickly to his feet.

"I put you there to protect you, there was nothing I could do," said Dumbledore quietly.

"Nothing? Really now, Sir, you must try harder than that to sway me to the Light!" mocked Harry. Several of the portraits had woken up. Harry was certain he heard one of them say 'Well I never!' whilst the rest grumbled, watching the scene unfold. He never cared, he was too far gone in his anger to stop now.

"And so you have gone Dark, Harry. I had suspected, but I never thought you fall so quickly," sighed Dumbledore. It was as if he was talking to a pupil who had scored lower than expected on a test, and Harry felt his anger peak.

"You manipulate, you fight for the greater good, but what about those in the minority? I've seen what the Light has done to them, and it is sick. For years I thought you were a kind man, but you are only kind to those you deem worthy!" Cold fury emanated from the words, and Dumbledore shrank back a little, as Harry let the his vampyrism show.

He let his power fill the room. It flowed freely from him, and some of the spindly instruments that Harry recognised from destroying last year shattered again. The glittery dust coated the floor, only to be swept up as another wave of power coursed through the room. Dumbledore was standing now, his wand was drawn, and Harry deflected what he could feel was a very powerful containment charm.

The curtains billowed, and the candlelight flickered ominously as Harry advanced. Summoning all his magical strength, he released it. Dumbledore hastily pulled up a shield and it glowed silver as the magic pelted it, flowing over it trying to find a weakness.

And then Tom was there.

"Harry, Albus, stop this!" his voice echoed throughout the room, and slowly the magical storm quietened down. Dumbledore's wand was still raised, but Tom seemed not to care.

"You shouldn't have come here tonight, Tom," said Dumbledore gently.

"You should not have tried to turn Harry against me," retorted Tom, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I see now that that was a mistake. You have polluted him far more than I had thought," Dumbledore's face turned into one of disgust. Before that would have been enough for Harry to ask for forgiveness, but now he was just happy that Dumbledore was showing his true emotions for once.

"What you see as pollution, I see as enlightenment," remarked Harry coldly.

"Instead of settling this in an office, which I can see now is hopeless, how about we settle it as we did in times of old," suggested Tom.

"Does Lord Alderan agree?" asked Dumbledore, and Harry could hear a mocking edge to his voice as he challenged Tom's authority.

"As you know, it is I who rules the Wizarding World for the Dark, Albus. I had thought you were above such petty shots," replied Tom calmly, but danger underlined his words neatly.

"One week from now. That should be adequate time to prepare for both sides," Dumbledore chose to ignore Tom's remark.

"Agreed," said Tom, and Harry felt his fingers encircle his arm, before being led out of the office.

When they were at the bottom of the stairs, Harry was surprised to see Ron, Hermione, Draco, Blaise, Lysander and Luna gathered in the corridor.

"I had difficulty finding you," muttered Tom, "It appears that word spreads fast." Despite the seriousness of what had just occurred, Harry bit back a laugh at Tom appearing in Gryffindor Tower. He really must have been desperate.

"What's happening?" asked Lysander, his normally cheery disposition gone, replaced by apprehension.

"It has begun," said Tom simply, and everyone's faces paled in the flickering candlelight, and Harry took this opportunity to speak to his best friends.

"Ron, Hermione, please don't get involved in this," he pleaded, his eyes begging them. Facing them in battle was unimaginable, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to do it.

"I told you I'm neutral, mate," said Ron, trying to act nonchalant, although Harry could see that he was worried, "There's no way I'm getting myself killed for something I don't understand. As for my family, I'll try and convince them. I know my mum can be pretty irrational, but she won't take this lightly."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry's eyes burned with tears and he vehemently repressed them.

"I'm going with Ron, Harry," said Hermione, "Whilst I think it's barbaric what the Light has done, some of what the Dark has done has been just as bad. For once I don't know enough," she smiled weakly. Harry nodded, remembering what Tom had told him month ago and knowing that that was true in any war.

"Thanks, Hermione," he couldn't hold back the tears this time as he hugged his two best friends.

"Harry," Tom sounded almost apologetic, "We need to leave."

"Good luck, Harry. We'll see you after," said Hermione, the _'maybe' _hovered in the air between them, and he embraced them once more before reluctantly moving back to Tom's side.

Phasing, he was glad it was their faces that were the last thing he saw in Hogwarts. They were his home, not the castle, and he prayed that he and Tom survived this so he could see them again.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! The ending of the chapter was really difficult to write, I hope it doesn't disappoint! The next chapter is the battle, there should be only two chapters to go and then it's finally finished! I can hear the sighs of relief already! Anyway, they should be done in the next two weeks. :)  
_

_As with the last chapter, I used some lines from HBP, but the memory that Dumbledore shows Harry is from Chapter 13 - Creatively called Memories. _

_I would really appreciate a review, as I'm not confident at all in this chapter. :S_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._


	30. Chapter 29: Decisions

The week passed quickly. Harry was charged with training some of the Younglings. There were kids only old enough to have just learnt about magic, and others who were far older. It was in these sessions that Harry realised what Tom and Alderan had seen as such a disadvantage to their side. Being forced to hide their natural had made many of their abilities dormant, or at least not honed enough to be reliable in battle. He took over his old training chamber, the one connected to Tom's rooms. Some days Lysander and Blaise would help, but due to Lysander's ability to see the connections one shared with others, he was mainly busy analysing main players of the Light and finding the weakest links that could be picked off first.

There was one day left, the tension was palpable. It was almost thrumming, and Luna had been complaining of a headache at the amount of anxious auras floating about. She probably would have fainted if she was in this room.

There were two lines. The younger ones were at the front, the elders at the back. Including him there were eleven in the room. Harry motioned to a young blonde Vampyre to step forward. His name was Fritz and he was of German and Irish descent. He was quick, in fact Harry wouldn't have been surprised if it was one of his talents.

Stepping up, Harry ran through a quick demonstration of a drop kick. Fritz felled him with a little more difficulty due to his size, but Harry was impressed nonetheless. The rest of the class looked on, some of their eyes were weary from the intensive training, others just looked anxious to get out onto the battlefield.

None of them looked resigned though. Despite being worried there was a certain hope about them all. They were certainly all better than they had been initially, and Harry felt a strange pride swell inside his chest. He wasn't just training Vampyres. He had a couple of Banshees, a Veela - many found it hard not to stare at her - and three Elves. Whilst their abilities weren't his speciality, he was training them in hand to hand combat, and externally they were all pretty much the same.

He was halfway through the lesson when Blaise poked his head around the door, ducking moments later when one of the Elves - Dresilda, a Fire Elf - threw a ball of flame where he had been seconds before. Harry grinned at her, and she contorted her hands in the form of a gun, blowing imaginary smoke off what would be the barrel before getting back to work.

"Getting better I see," said Blaise weakily, entering the room a little more cautiously.

"There isn't much else to do actually. All of them can hold me off for up to twenty minutes," Harry smiled again with pride.

"Well if they can beat you…" said Blaise, in a voice that clearly said he felt it wasn't much of a challenge.

"Shut up!" laughed Harry, "What are you here for?"

"Tom wants to see you. He's with Alderan," said Blaise.

"What's it about?" Harry's eyebrows knitted together, wondering why he would be asked to see them.

"A threesome?" suggested Blaise, earning a smack on the arm. "Anyway, I'm meant to take over here."

"We're working on a dropkick, but I think they have it," said Harry, wincing when Fritz dropped one of the Banshees, helping the elder man up seconds later. "Just have them sparring for now."

"Yes, Sir," Blaise mock saluted.

Rolling his eyes, Harry left the room, the pride he felt at his charges swiftly replaced by confusion. Tom had been planning strategy with Alderan for most of the week. The upcoming battle wasn't going to be a messy skirmish. Both sides meant business, and they had been trying to utilise their resources to be able to hold off the Light adequately. Everyone knew that if they failed here then the balance would never be restored.

If his chess matches with Ron taught him anything, then he was shit at strategy. That's why he had been staying out of Tom's way and focusing on the Younglings so much, so why did they want to see him now?

Approaching the door of Alderan's meeting chamber, he knocked, the sound echoing in the cold corridor, before going into the room.

Alderan was sitting on his throne-like chair with Tom standing opposite him. This was usual, and was not what was attracting his attention.

The only question in his mind was:

What the fuck was Snape doing in the room?

Snape evidently saw his confusion for he sneered, "Close your mouth Potter, you're looking more gormless than usual."

"Ah, Harry," greeted Alderan, his young face looking older than Harry had ever seen it.

"You asked to see me?" managed Harry, trying to get over his shock at seeing his Potions Professor in their realm. His hair was still greasy though, the bat could have at least made an effort.

"Harry, we felt there were some things you needed to be made aware of before the battle. Severus is one of them," said Tom, obviously hearing the question Harry's mind was shouting out.

"We used to joke that Snape was a Vampyre…" Harry trailed off at the withering glare Snape shot at him.

"It was not just Demeter we had stationed at Hogwarts. Before you, we needed someone to infiltrate the castle. Snape, for several reasons was the best person for the job," cut in Tom, feeling the tension rising between Professor and pupil.

"But Dumbledore always told me he trusted you despite being a Death Eater. How can we trust you?" Snape's face contorted with rage at this.

"You're just as ignorant as your snivelling father," spat Snape, moving to look out of one of the massive windows that looked out onto the courtyard, his robes sweeping behind him.

"Harry!" Alderan's voice boomed out, and he could hear the scolding tone a mile away.

"Harry, you trust my judgement, no?" asked Tom, raising his eyebrows challengingly.

"Yes, Tom," said Harry quietly. With Tom's talent, he would know instantly if someone was being untruthful. It was childish to question Snape's loyalty in light of this, but knowing the Potions Master, he couldn't see him not being with Dumbledore. It was like seeing Hermione without a book!

"What are you anyway?" asked Harry. He knew he was being rude, but even if the greasy git was on his side, he would never like him.

"As you childishly pointed out, I am a Vampyre," replied Snape curtly.

"Why was I not told about you sooner?" asked Harry, feeling slightly hurt that Tom hadn't confided this in him.

"I've been in seventeen years of deep cover. I would not trust you with my secret for you to blurt it out to the first Light supporter you saw," sneered Snape.

"I wouldn't do that!" yelled Harry indignantly.

"We still couldn't risk it. Only Alderan and I knew where Severus's true loyalty lay." Looking into Tom's eyes he could see the sadness resting in the blue orbs. This was only backed up by the regret that was being sent through their bond. Harry nodded, and Tom smiled slightly sensing the forgiveness.

"I take it you never told me so I wouldn't kill him in battle?" asked Harry nonchalantly, hearing Snape mutter "As if you could," moments after.

"Well that, and Snape has news that you need to hear from him," said Alderan, and Harry's ears engaged a little more at this.

"Whatever you said to the Weasel, his family have withdrawn from the fight," Snape acted as if he couldn't care less, but Harry was too busy fighting a grin to care.

The thought of facing his almost adopted family in battle was repugnant. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight them, and so at this news he felt as if a burden had been lifted.

However, a niggling thought hit him just there.

What about everyone else?

"Has anyone else withdrawn?" he asked anxiously.

"No," came Snape's short reply.

Images of teachers who had supported him, peers who had been his friends swam before his eyes. He wouldn't kill them. From what he had seen over the week, many of the Dark creatures were out for blood. Oppression had made them grow angry, and finally the time had come where they could shake off the shackles. They were not going to go easy.

"I can't kill them, Tom," whispered Harry. Tom, having followed Harry's thought process placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You won't have to. Lysander has been working on mapping out the major players. It is just them we need to destroy, the rest can merely be stunned," said Tom gently.

"Yes, Harry. Whilst the battle is raging, another faction will be going to the Ministry. It is that we need to conquer. Once we are in control of that, the rest will fall into place," reinforced Alderan, a grave smile forming on his face.

As usual, Snape looked unaffected.

"We do not seek to destroy the Light, remember that," said Tom, his eyes boring into Harry's, "We just need to subdue it a little."

"I can do that," said Harry confidently.

* * *

However, later that night he wasn't so sure. Supper had been a quiet affair. The impending battle had everyone on edge. Even Lysander had been quiet, and that alone was nothing short of a miracle!

All the while he kept telling himself the same thing. It became a mantra of sorts. They had done all they could. He had trained his Younglings to the best of his ability... But there was one thing missing.

Fate's words kept ringing in his ears:

"_You know there are higher forces are at work, but General's can only act if their troops do, and you are one important soldier if I do say so myself. Now son, this will be the only time we meet, I will aid the best I can, but it all hangs on your decision._"

Had he already made it? Were they doomed to fail or succeed?

These questions tumbled around in his mind, crashing off each other and only creating more confusion. Tom knew something was wrong, but he had refrained from reading his thoughts. Harry appreciated this small gesture, and as they got ready for bed, he cuddled into him, the elder realising immediately that Harry needed to be reassured.

It was strange. The process of getting ready for bed was normal, but the idea that they might never return to it again kept piercing him like a knife. Tom, however, acted as if he never had a care in the world. The only thing that showed his concern was the way he was look at Harry. It was as if he was drinking him in, savouring what could potentially be the last time he saw him in an ordinary setting.

Tomorrow there would be blood spilt on both sides. Despite Alderan's plan to cut off the Ministry, he knew that the concept of no casualties was ridiculous. Until they took control, there would be death. Potentially afterwards there would also be death. They wanted to do this the most peaceful way possible, but there was no way to create the situation for peace without violence. It was an undeniable fact of this situation.

Harry wondered idly what Ron and Hermione would be doing. Would they worry about him? Would they even want him to win? There were so many factors to consider...

"Harry, your rapid thoughts are giving me a headache," mumbled Tom into Harry's hair.

Tom was on his back and Harry was nestled into his side. They had been lying like that for almost an hour now, and still there hadn't been a word spoken between them until that moment.

"Sorry," whispered Harry, feeling Tom press a kiss into his hair.

"What's bothering you? I've been respecting your privacy until now, but we need to be rested," asked Tom, concern colouring his voice.

Breathing in the musky scent of Tom, Harry knew he couldn't give a truthful reply. Fate had entrusted the information to him alone, and to burden Tom with it now would be cruel. Instead he replied:

"What made Snape give that big a sacrifice?"

"Love," replied Tom simply, and if he knew Harry was lying he never pressed the matter.

"For who?" The concept of Snape being in love was baffling. He had always been so bitter. But then Harry realised, that might be why.

"Your mother, Harry," said Tom, feeling Harry go still.

"M-My mother?" It was ridiculous that that one revelation would shock him. Out of everything he had been told this was the least surprising. In the pensive when Snape had tried to teach him Occlumency, the hurt look that flashed across the boy's as he realised he had lost his best friend because of one slip of the tongue went beyond friendship. He could see that now.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" asked Tom, "When Severus discovered what Dumbledore had done, he in a sense became a double agent. Pretending to shun the Dark and support the Light when in fact supporting the Dark all along. I don't think Severus will ever forgive him for it."

Harry imagined it if he were in Snape's position. Tom torn away from him by Dumbledore. He would never be able to forgive him, and he knew deep down he would do anything for revenge.

"If I were in his position I would never forgive him for it," said Harry, holding Tom tighter. "Are you not worried he will kill Dumbledore?"

"No, he knows we need him alive to forge a new treaty. Severus is old enough to know that death is not the ultimate revenge. Speaking as a Slytherin, it is far more satisfying to leave enemies alive, knowing they have lost everything." For such cold words Harry just nodded into Tom's chest.

No more words were spoken by them after this. They just held each other, their emotions too strong for words to convey. They were both nervous, but not for themselves, only for the other. And it was with these fears that they eventually fell asleep, and uneasy slumber taking them for a few hours.

* * *

It all seemed to go by so quickly. A week ago he was saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione, now he was staring at the army of the Light.

Their forces were vast, but not as large as those on the side of the Dark. The sun brought with it a clear day. A day too beautiful for battle, but battle was inevitable.

Tom was leading the faction that would go to the Ministry, and Alderan was leading the charge. They were in a clearing near Hogwarts. According to Alderan this was where the battles had taken place centuries ago. Hogwarts being built nearby as a show of superiority by the Light.

Alderan looked magnificent. His raven hair shone in the morning sun. It was tied back to the nape of his neck, showing the pale skin of his throat. His attire was simple. Boots that went up to the calf with trousers tucked in, and a white shirt and red waistcoat adding a little colour to the ensemble apart from black.

He looked like a nobleman about to court a princess, not a Vampyre riding to war.

Harry was wearing something similar, except his waistcoat was emerald green, a gift from Tom since he loved his eye colour so much. Tom was wearing the blue one he had gotten him for the same reason. Wearing it, it was almost like he was there instead on the other side of the Wizarding World fighting Ministry Officials.

Every now and then he would tap into their bond. They were still waiting to storm the complex apparently, and his lover's impatience was taking the edge off his nerves a little.

Both armies stared at each other. Dumbledore was wearing magenta robes with silver moons and stars covering it. McGonagall stood next to him in her standard black robes. She looked stern, and Harry prayed he wouldn't come up against her. Searching the crowd, he was glad not to see the Weasley's, but when his eyes landed on Remus he felt his stomach plummet.

Would his Dad approve of him fighting his best friend?

He really didn't want to know the answer.

Lysander stood next to him, looking slightly pale, clasping Blaise's hand reassuringly. Draco was beside them looking sombre, his parents behind him looking cold and proud. Harry knew this was a lie, however. Apart from Luna - she was staring dreamily at an eagle flying overhead - they were all nervous, and it took a few moments for him to realise the signal had been given.

It had begun.

Giving each other encouraging looks they ran. Spells were fired from all directions, and the lights lit up the clearing better than the sun could. He could hear the screams as creatures and wizards from both sides were felled, the anger of both sides was unimaginable in it's intensity, and it was only a matter of time until it reached boiling point.

He was in the thick of it now. All he could see was Dumbledore fighting Alderan, the Vampyre seeming to be more than a match for the aged Headmaster. It was almost as if they were in some sort of dance, and Harry could fully believe they had been opponents for centuries. They were in synch with each other in a way only lovers or enemies could be. Harry watched as Dumbledore summoned a snake of fire, wrapping it around Alderan who produced a cocoon of water. If was wasn't in danger himself he would have stopped to watch the stunning display of magic they were giving.

Lysander and Blaise had taken on McGonagall. The Transfiguration Professor was tough, but it was easy to see she was finding it hard to battle two of her pupils. Proof that there were those in the Light who saw the violence was appalling. Then there was Draco and his parents fighting off what appeared to be a quarter of the Order.

Checking his bond, he realised that Tom had now began the strike on the Ministry, it was going well and he felt his heart soar despite the conditions.

Then he found himself face to face with Remus.

"Harry, why?" asked Remus sadly, his grey eyes filled with tears.

"It's not what you think, Remus," yelled Harry, dodging a stray stunner.

"I see you've sided with the Dark, what am I supposed to think?" shouted the last connection Harry had to his parents.

"We don't want bloodshed, Dumbledore made it inevitable," replied Harry, shooting a stunner at the shaken man. He never wanted to fight him, but now was not the time for reason. Remus returned with a body bind which Harry easily deflected.

It was clear they never had the heart to fight each other.

"Please, just get out of here?" begged Harry, shooting another stunner.

"I can't. Dumbledore gave me a chance when no other would," said Remus sadly.

"I'm sorry," whispered Harry, not heard above the din of battle, but the Werewolf understood and nodded sadly.

Then they were duelling.

It wasn't vicious. They never wanted to fight, it was only circumstance that had brought them to this moment. Harry remembered him teaching him the Patronus. The defeated look on his face when his Lycanthropy was discovered and he was sacked. He was doing this for him. Remus just never had the full scope of the situation.

In the end Harry thought his friend let him stun him. They had been dancing around each other. No spell made its mark either through deflection of deliberately bad aim. Remus seemed to sigh, and Harry took this opportunity. The Werewolf fell into the dirt, and Harry cast a deflection charm on him so no one would trample him.

Turning his attention elsewhere, he searched his bond for a moment. Tom was there in an instant and he was struggling. Harry could feel the strain, but at the same moment he saw Alderan was losing to Dumbledore. The Headmaster had a golden glow around him, and Harry could see the Light shining through him. He truly was a puppet.

Save the Dark, or save Tom?

It was an impossible choice, but he had to make it.

Decision made, he ran over to Alderan, the aged Vampyre looking up gladly to have Harry there. Dumbledore merely looked more upset, but Harry could see the anger simmering beneath the surface.

He could feel the power in the spells both he and Alderan were deflecting. Dumbledore was powerful, but so were they.

Sending a ball of fire towards to Headmaster, Harry tapped into his talent, feeling the magic spring from his fingertips. Dumbledore's eyes widened at this display, and looking at his hands, he saw a purple glow surrounded him. A wind blew up around them, and Harry shot spell after spell, his magic searching for a weakness. He could feel the magic of Dumbledore, but his was more than a match for it, his core more stable than the old fool's. All the while he was aware of Tom fading, and he knew his lover was losing.

Making a split second decision, Harry sectioned off some of his magic, sending it through their bond to Tom. He could feel his lover strengthening, and the burst of gratitude he felt explode through their link made a grin form on his face.

Harry Potter, grinning like a madman in the most carnage the Wizarding World had seen in centuries. He could imagine how it would look, and quickly reined in his emotions.

He and Alderan were side by side now. Their magic mingled, not as violently as his and Tom's, but recognising the Darkness in both their users they melded, and pointing his palms towards Dumbledore he unleashed a magical storm. You could not see it, but you could hear the crackles of the magic, feel the power that had been released into the space. Harry had tapped directly into his magical core, siphoning into it's raw power. Had he not helped contain his magic he would never have been able to do this, and through controlled bursts he set it free.

Everyone seemed to stop. Time was suspended, and all eyes turned towards the brilliant lights coming from Alderan, Harry and Dumbledore. Harry and Alderan's magic surrounded them all, the purple glow from before mingled with hints of red and black.

However, Dumbledore conjured a shield, the golden hue wrapping around him like a Guardian, and with a start Harry realised he was seeing his magic.

Everything was still for a moment, like the calm before the storm, and then everything seemed to happen at once. Dumbledore's magic reached out and attacked Harry and Alderan's. Harry could feel the raw force powering it, but it was not as stable as theirs. He could also feel Tom's elation, and moments later his lover appeared by his side, his own magic reaching out instinctively and melding with the others.

"Albus," called Tom, "Stop this. This Ministry has fallen, there is nothing you can do. End this now, we will not destroy you."

Indeed Dumbledore looked as if the strain of fending off three Vampyre's magic as getting too much. The golden light receded back, as did the lights of Harry and Alderan. Slowly tendrills of Darkness reached out, binding Dumbledore. The elderly wizard in question was slumped in defeat. A sorry sight, even to someone who helped create it.

"_Sonorus_," muttered Alderan before addressing the battlefiend, "Cease the fighting at once!"

It took a few minutes for everyone to hear, but eventually all had stopped. The stillness was eerie compared to the activity of before, and Harry felt a wave of tiredness sweep him up, and he forced his eyes to remain open to witness this.

"The Ministry has fallen, there will be no more fighting. All who chose to continue will be stunned and delivered to Azkaban. Enough blood has been spilled this day. Together we shall build a new world, one that embraces everyone and every type of magic as long as it complies with common ethics. The deaths today will not be in vain for both sides, and we shall rise from the ashes a stronger society. Those who wish to stand in the way of progress, make yourselves known now," Alderan's tone had taken on a slightly mystic quality, and Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Not a single person moved.

Moments later cheers rose from the battlefield, some of the Light still to stunned to realise what had happened, and others too confused and just going along with it.

Smiling, Harry saw Tom turn to him. His eyes were lit up in a way he had never seen before. The blue orbs sparkled with happiness, and Harry wanted to kiss him. They had survived. Whatever decision out of the many he had made that day which had been the deciding factor was the right one.

The battle was over, and the relief coupled with the sheer fatigue slammed into him all at once. The next thing he was falling.

The last thing he saw was Tom's eyes changing from happiness, to confusion before finally settling on horror.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for the feedback! Just the Epilogue to go now! I hope this wasn't a disappointment, I really hate writing battles, and this is the third draft! I would really appreciate a review! The Epilogue should be up later tonight. :)  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._


	31. Epilogue

Over the following months the Wizarding World saw radical changes taking place. Tom Riddle became the Minister for Magic in a quiet affair. Many never even recognised that he was the Dark Lord whom they had previously feared, and those who suspected it soon dismissed it, not seeing the bald, snake-like man in the face of the handsome young man.

Albus Dumbledore remained Headmaster at Hogwarts, closely monitored by the Minister, but otherwise left alone. In the school a number of new subjects were introduced to the curriculum. Defence Against The Dark Arts was replaced with simply Defence Against Magical Arts (DAMA). Whilst the change was small, it heralded the rise of a new look at magic. Less precedence was put on Light, Dark or Grey magic. Instead pupils were taught that all manner of spells could be used for evil, it was _intention _that mattered.

The Dark Creatures themselves welcomed new legislation put forth by The Department Of The Regulation And Control Of Magical Creatures. Remus Lupin managed to use the new Anti-Discrimination Laws to secure the new DAMA post at Hogwarts. It was only a small change in the law, but in the minds of the people great strides had been taken, many hailing this as 'The Age Of Equality,' and very few spoke out against the policies.

However, the few that knew what had transpired the days before Tom Riddle became Minister were left with one question:

Where was Harry Potter?

Those who had been there remembered the altercation between Dumbledore and Potter, but no one could quite remember what had happened to such a prominent figure in the vessel of change. It was quite simply as if he had disappeared.

Tom Riddle sighed as he read yet another article mulling over the disappearance of The-Boy-Who-Lived. It had been six months since the battle and under the care of Miranda they were still no closer to waking him up.

He had recognised the signs of magical exhaustion immediately. What he had not realised what how extensive it was. He knew Harry had sent him some of his magic, if he hadn't then the future would have change drastically, and not in their favour. That combined with the constant tapping of his core had all but depleted it. Although, he would recover, his core was rebuilding, and Tom could feel his magic grow stronger as the weeks passed.

That wasn't what bothered him.

What bothered him was not knowing when he would wake up.

When Harry had collapsed Tom had felt more than heard their bond go silent. It was powered through magic, and Harry, at that point, had none.

In one day he had felt the greatest joy and the greatest fear of his life.

Alderan had immediately sent him back to the Midnight Realm. Miranda was already dealing with the wounded, and by the time she had gotten to him the battle was long over. In those days, Tom was kept so busy that he barely had time to see Harry let alone sleep. Still, he managed it, maintaining a vigil over his lover's bed, and sometimes, much to the chagrin of Miranda, sleeping there.

Now, however, the Wizarding World was more stable. The changes he had introduced had been slow, but ultimately they were accepted. What happened between the Light and Dark was known only to a few. To the rest of the world, a new Minister had been appointed, his views more liberal, and with that a shake up of the government had followed.

Sometimes a lie was better than the truth.

If anyone had known the true extent of what had happened, or at least spoken about it, then it would have been harder to mould the Wizarding World. As it was, with the new treaty between the Light and Dark, no one could speak of what had happened that day, and if anyone tried to without permission, then the penalty was dear.

Despite all this, Tom felt empty. It was clichéd and weak. Everything he hated, but that never meant it wasn't true.

The closest he got to joy now was knowing that Harry's magic was strengthening. That soon he would be reunited with his lover, and be able to show him the world he had built.

Weeks dragged into months. When they hit the one year mark, the anniversary of their victory, he was the only one not out celebrating. Instead he was by Harry's bedside, watching the still, pale features. Sometimes his lips would move, and for one moment Tom would think he was waking up, but then his eyes would remain shut, his breathing would stay deep. Tom never knew how many more moments like that he could handle, the disappointment getting more bitter each time it happened.

By the two year mark he was losing hope. He thought he was never wrong, but then there was always a first time for everything. He prayed this wasn't the start of a new pattern, however.

It was a cold night. They were in the heart of December, and he had just came from a meeting with the Wizengamot. His idea of magical Orphanages had been approved and construction was to begin straight away. He would not have a child condemned to what he and Harry had been put through. Granted there were other forces at work there, but he wasn't blind, he knew it happened anyway, and if they could provide a safe haven for magical children then they would.

Alderan had caught him on the way to Harry's rooms, and he had been roped into a pre-Christmas drink with him.

Sitting in the Vampyre Lord's private chambers, he stared at the crackling fire which to all others would appear merry. Alderan took the chair opposite and handed him a glass of wine.

"I'm surprised you approved Lord Baal's request to promote Demon rights so quickly," said Alderan, trying to coax some semblance of a conversation out of him.

"It would not be fair to leave any Dark Creature out of the Legislation, even if I do not like their leader," replied Tom, his face remaining impassive, his whole body wanting to go to Harry.

"The progress has been quicker than expected, I won't deny that," mused Alderan, his brown eyes sparkling merrily.

"If the Wizarding World don't even recognise me as Voldemort, I think they'll have a hard time saying no to equality," scoffed Tom, taking a long draw from his glass.

"Now, now, Tom. Less of the bitterness. You should be out celebrating with the others. It has been two years after all," Tom glared at him for this, "I know you miss Harry, but he will wake up. These matters just take time. It was no ordinary magical core he had."

"If you think he will wake up, then why do you use the past tense?" asked Tom, unable to keep the anger out of his tone. Harry was always a touchy subject with him, and everyone knew better than to talk about it.

"Forgive me, it was a slip of the tongue," said Alderan quietly, letting silence descend upon the room once more.

"No it wasn't," replied Tom quietly, placing his glass down on one of the side tables. "Forgive me, I must go now."

"Tom," whisper Alderan, "Please focus on the positive work we have done, not just the price it took to do it."

When he entered the infirmary, Miranda never even looked up from her potions. She was working on making the Werewolves transformation less painful. Whilst Wolfbane gave them clarity under the full moon, it never took away the pain of the conversion.

Moving over to his usual spot, he saw Harry looked the same as he always did, and for a moment he thought Alderan may be right after all.

No. He couldn't be.

If it hadn't been for the hope he would not have been able to function as he had been. Yes, he would have done his job, he hadn't fought for seventy years to throw it away, but he would have been dead inside doing it. Although he guessed he was a politician now, it would probably only be a few years before that happened anyway...

He could hear the sounds of celebrating not too far off. He guessed Lysander and Blaise were doing another display of their 'dancing' somewhere. Bellatrix would be with her family, having grown closer to Narcissa after the battle. Miranda was going to have dinner with Severus after her work was done, he had heard her talking to him about it on one of his many visits. Even Ron and Hermione were getting married! Everyone seemed to be moving on with their lives, and yet here he was, stuck because his goddamn lover wouldn't wake up!

Not for the first time he asked him to. His voice was almost pleading, but he never cared. Harry was more important than his pride.

It wasn't as if he thought asking him would wake him up, however, and not for the first time he settled himself in his chair, falling to sleep moments later.

* * *

Harry felt as if he was floating. He never knew where he was, there was darkness pressing in from all sides. Strangely enough he wasn't scared though, he was quite comfortable actually.

Every muscle in his body felt relaxed as he lay in this nothingness. It was then he realised just how tired he was. He needed this.

He wasn't sure how long he had been there when it happened. It was only a glimmer at first, but the more he examined it, it grew larger. A brilliant golden dot piercing the blackness. It wasn't unwelcome, however, it was familiar, and he wanted to get closer to it.

It was then he realised he had the energy to move. Willing himself forward, he tried to reach it. The closer he got the more drawn he was.

He _had _to get there.

All concept of time had been lost. It could have been days, weeks, months, or years he spent trying to get to this speck. Everyday it would grow larger, only a little bit.

At one point he realised he could hear something. It was a man's voice, but he had no idea where it came from. All it said was 'Harry' over and over again.

Was that his name?

Who was this _Harry_?

Over time he came to understand that that was him, but who this man was he had no idea. He was obviously upset. Sometimes he would try and say more, but his voice would thicken as if he was trying not to cry. Harry's heart went out to him, and he tried harder to get closer to the light. Somehow he thought if he got there then he would understand more. It was a strange thought, but it made a sort of random sense to him... Somehow.

And then, finally, the day came.

His longing to be closer to the light had slowly grown to hearing the man's voice as well. He wanted to meet him, to see what he looked like, and to know why he missed him so much.

Up close the light was more an orb. An almost glass like surface rippled as molten gold thrashed against the barrier.

_'You are mine to command,'_the words came to him, and before he knew it he spoke them aloud. They sounded right.

A crystalline layer formed over the surface, trapping the molten gold, lashing more violently as if to protest at the treatment. The new layer looked as if it had been shattered once before, badly healed cracks visible all over it.

Next thing he knew the darkness was shrinking, drawing towards the orb.

He panicked, drawing closer to the light. He was close enough to touch it when he heard the man's voice again.

_'Don't touch it, it will destroy you.'_

And then a name finally popped into his mind.

"T-Tom?" he said, and the name tasted right on his tongue.

He was no longer scared as the darkness swallowed him whole.

In fact, he almost embraced it.

* * *

In an Infirmary deep within the Castle Of The Night, Harry Potter opened his eyes to a new world. He blinked, his eyes taking a moment to come into focus. When they did, the first thing he saw was Tom. He was sleeping in an armchair. His clothes were uncharacteristically rumpled, and Harry reached over to try and smooth his shirt a little.

The moment he touched him, Tom opened his eyes.

Oops, he woke him.

"H-Harry?" Tom's voice trembled in a way Harry hadn't heard before.

"Er... Yeah. Why am I in the Infirmary?" Confusion swept in fast, and Harry tried to focus on Tom, not the many questions swirling around in his mind.

"What is the last thing you remember?" asked Tom, rubbing his eyes as if to be sure what he was seeing actually existed. What the Hell was wrong with him?

"The battle... We won," Harry felt a grin form on his face as he remembered this. He wondered if Tom had implemented some of his ideas yet. It would be difficult, but with a little convincing the Wizarding World would like them...

"Harry," Tom interrupted his musings, "You collapsed, your magical core was depleted and your body shut down... You've been asleep for two years."

Harry felt Tom's words wash over him. Two years? He had missed _two years _of his life. He remembered the exhaustion, he knew his core was depleted, but two years was a long time to repair it. But then Harry remembered the orb of light, how it had appeared cracked. This wasn't like last time. He had used all his magic. His core had shattered. From what he had heard, he was lucky to have awoken this early.

"I guess I don't have an excuse to sleep in anymore, do I?" he joked, and Tom cracked a smile before saying:

"You think that's bad, you should see what I've done with the place without your supervision..."

* * *

_A/N: Thank you so much for sticking with me for this story, I know it's been a tough ride! It's scary it's been two years! _

_I've left the ending open, to me their lives go on after I've stopped writing, and who knows, maybe one day I'll revisit with a one-shot that examines more of Tom and Harry's influence on the Wizarding World years after this. I figured Harry would have been exhausted if you look at the amount of raw magic he uses, it would take a lot of time to replenish his core and re-establish his control over his magic. If you have any questions, don't hestitate to get in touch, and as always I would appreciate it if you reviewed!_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter._


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